Hi stephen, I am building this loco and can only recommend as I have done and that is to find a local steel fabricator and get them to shear you some 4mm plate and then if you want it bright sand it to remove the scale. my apologies for the late reply but I have spent the last 4 weeks in hospital without internet access.

Mike p

Reeves do some sheared 4mm plate for frames but may be a bit big. Any friendly fabricators, lazer or waterjet cutters should be able to supply a bit of 4mm sheet

If you really want to stick to 5/32 material Stephen, then try to souce Gauge Plate. This will cut into super frame material as it is ground and stress relived. Buck and Hickman or your local engineers supply company should be able to offer a couple of suitable pieces, though it's not cheap.

Actually you are better off not having bright bar/plate as it tends to have inbuilt stresses which usually mean it goes bananna shaped when you cut out for the axles.

If you want it shiney then look at John's post for how to remove the scale

Are we going to see any more Emma construction drawings? None in the last 3 issues that I have seen.