This is my build diary and amateur review of the D51 locomotive build.
I have built lots of plastic and resin model kits and a few Pocher cars previously and I have been searching for a large scale train kit to build.

Pack 1.

A nice big padded envelope arrived with some very well packed parts and an instruction manual and reference DVD.

My first challenge was opening the individual packages.I struggled a bit cutting through the clear plastic until it finally dawned on me to rip off the cardboard base. Then the 2 piece clear plastic container can be easily separated. Didnt I feel silly.

The parts were metal. The parts had excellent detail and some of the parts were solid and heavy. This train is going to be a beast once it is finished.

Step 1
It was easy to install the number plate and smokebox door.
I had a problem with the door hinges. The door is quite heavy so make sure you use decent strength epoxy to glue the hinges or they will pop off as mine did until I used better epoxy.

Step 2-Smoke box and boiler hinge joint

My second tip is to get a GOOD small screwdriver set.I used a cheap set and the Philips head on the screws was too small to fit the screwdriver.I ended up using one I have for my RC helicopter and it worked perfectly. The screws are really nice-good positive fit and easy to screw in. They are small and a little fiddly to get into the holes.
My boiler hinge needed careful alignment to keep it parallel to the edge of the smokebox until the epoxy dried.

Step 3 Chimney and feedwater system.

No problems here.The feedwater system is a heavy piece of brass.let the epoxy thoroughly dry before moving the smokebox around or gravity will pull the feedwater tank out of its mounting holes (ask me how I know).

Step 4 Driving wheels and coupling rods

Easy step again.I used a file to remove the mold cast line on the coupling rods and then used fine sandpaper to smooth the metal.

Step 5 Spark arrestor and blast pipe.
This step was straightforward. Put plenty of glue on the spark arrestor ring.It was a little fiddly to fit the blast pipe. A third hand would have been helpful!

Step 6 Front deck
Everything went together very well here.The parts fit well together and the assembly is easy.

I polished the smokebox and put it aside and now I am eagerly awaiting the next shipment.

Hi Darbyvet
A very nice start and looking good
regards
Andy

My second pack arrived and I eagerly ripped the big bag open and started building.
I finished the parts on the front and assembled the underframe with no problems.

Now those tiny rivets you have to put in the underframe were a little trying.They were difficult to grab and a couple of them pinged out of my tweezers never to be seen again. Fortunately there are some spares.It took me more time to fit those little devils into their holes than it did to complete the rest of this pack.
The front cylinders are easy to build and the parts are nice and solid.
The frame is already quite heavy.
It is looking great.

Total build time
pack 1:2 hours
Pack 2: 2 1/2 hours

looking good and I can vouch for that tool its a life saver with tiny parts

Review of steps 17-24.
To those of you who recommended the pick and place tool I salute you!
I cant imagine placing all of those little rivets without it.

The pushrods and motion frame were easy to assemble

The screws connecting to new rear part of the frame had to be very carefully positioned or they wouldn't screw all the way in. A bit fiddly, but not too bad.

The suspension was easy to make, but a little tricky to install.it may have been easier to install the front suspension before the motion frame, but hen it may have been trickier to install the motion frame.
Anyway it did get in the way when attaching the suspension to the frame.

The wheels were a little fiddly to attach too.I used masking tape to hold the 2 sides of the wheel clamps together but it was hard to slide both sides into the frame and keep everything together.I found the key was to try to eyeball the fit and then slowly lower both sides at the same time until you feel them engage on the frame and then they just dropped it.

That's it for this build. A nice spanner for the nuts on the suspension would have come in handy but it was OK with a set of fine nosed pliers.

It is getting quite heavy already and starting to look like a train.
looking forward to the next installment.

This stage (17-24) took me 4 hours .

I couldn't find any of those cool tools available in USA ...so I ordered direct from Shesto. Mainly pick and place would yield the type of machines we had in the micro-electronics industry..used to place surface mount components.

I notice a lot of people neglect to clean the adhesive residue from the back side of the smoke box front door ( I used Goof-Off... a naptha based solvent) I'll be painting the inside of my firebox flat black.

I believe Tomick said his painting guide would start at 90. I'm going to etch prime and paint the outside (weathered black) when it is mostly assembled. The inside is just getting some aerosol flat black as I go. I'm leaving off or masking the few shiny brass bits til later. Amazon usa is not the same as amazon uk.....i looked there.

Thanks guys.
Gary I am USA not UK and there are a few different pick and place tools on Amazon US version.
I am interested to hear how you do the acid etch priming.I guess that would help me remove some of the tarnish before painting? Does it affect epoxy I used to glue the parts together.

I would love to leave it shiny.My other option is to spray it brass colored, but that seems like a lot of work.Maybe I will try harder to remove the tarnish. I did read you have to be careful because some parts are brass plated.

Sorry. ..you didn't have a location on your post....i just assumed you were a Brit like most users. I went to Auto Zone and got an aerosol of Duplicator etch primer. I haven't tried it on any brass yet, but it seems to adhere quite well to a scrap of aluminum (aluminium) flashing.

It almost looks like the "official" Japanese completed model is sprayed gold.