Don't just be a trainspotter, become a train owner! This form of transport has been with us for hundreds of years, but as any fan will tell you, the appeal of trains is far greater than mere transport. The clickety clack track. The countless journeys of thousands of people. The wind that rushes past you as the express service screams through your station and waves you goodbye.

Locomotive is a steam-age inspired model that you build from laser-cut, wooden parts. Just pop the parts out and slot them together with the help of the detailed illustrated instructions. This is one of our more challenging builds, but if you're patient, even first-time builders will find it satisfying.

Build difficulty

Advanced ★★★★★
349 pieces
Typical build time: 8 hours

Contents

7 plywood sheets
Wind-up spring
Various wooden & metal parts
Plastic washers
Illustrated instructions

Specifications

Model Number: LK701
Model weight: 1.4 kg
Assembled size: 370 x 120 x 185 mm
Box weight: 1.5 kg
Box size: 250 x 370 x 70 mm

Warning

Not a toy - not suitable for children 3 or under
Includes small parts that could be a choking hazard

FAQs

What could possibly go wrong?
Although you're pretty much just punching out parts and putting them in the right places, all model building requires skill. If you're not careful, you could damage the parts during removal, lose parts or install parts the wrong way round. Some parts are delicate and can get damaged if you apply too much pressure. Constantly pushing the pieces into place can hurt your thumbs after a while, so it's best to build it in stages. As with any skill, the more practice and experience you have, the better the result. Take your time and enjoy the experience.

What is the recommended minimum age to build the Locomotive?
Officially it's 14, but this is a challenging kit. There are kids this age who could successfully build it, but if they haven't done something like this before, it would be better to start with a simpler model such as one of the Steampunk kits.

What is the recommended maximum age to build the Locomotive?
You need steady hands and decent eyesight. The writing on the instructions and some parts are small, so a small magnifying glass comes in handy.

Do any parts move?
Yes. The wind-up spring drives the wheels and chimney as demonstrated in the above video.

Is the Locomotive fragile?
If it topples over? Probably not. If it is dropped from a height? There's a good chance something will break.

Do I need to sand the parts?
The parts on some wooden model kits can be slightly rough on the edges and it's recommended that you give them a light sanding. However with most parts in this kit, this is unnecessary. Occasionally when you remove parts, they might not detach from the sheets cleanly, leaving a tiny burr. You can remove this using the supplied sandpaper.

Can I paint the Locomotive?
We think it looks cool in a raw finish, but one of the nice things about a kit is you can make it your own, so feel free to personalise as you wish. The Locomotive is made from plywood so you can apply just about anything including paint or lacquer. Our recommendation is to paint prior to assembly as getting a brush into every little section would be really fiddly once it's finished. The moving gears need to be carefully aligned and excess paint may prevent these parts from moving. If necessary, lightly sand your paint on parts that need adjusting.