Cro Fittings

Cro Fittings A page displaying my scale locomotive fittings using modern design and manufacturing techniques.

Welcome,

Here I hope to share and promote the scale fittings and items I am developing and producing for 3 1/2", 5" and 7 1/2" steam locos. Using the most up to date manufacturing techniques including 3D printing, Investment Casting and CNC machining I hope to produce a range of scale fittings both working and dummy to help people add that little extra detail too their locos. I work from origina

l Works Drawings to produce full size CAD models of all my parts; I then scale the main items down and produce casting models for these allowing machining allowances and a set of drawings to make each part required. A little bit about me - I am currently in a graduate engineering position at Instron Ltd based in High Wycombe working in the dynamic R&D team using my degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. I have been in model engineering for around 15 years taking on my Grandfathers locos. I am currently in the process of finishing a 5" gauge 9f and spend a lot of my free time whilst away from the workshop on CAD working towards my next project and doing extra work for people for drawings, laser-cutting and castings. If you see anything you like or you are interested to know more feel free to drop me an email or leave a post.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year all, hope everyone had a great time and of course it wouldn't be NYD without a steam up.

Managed to get a run in with grandads Brit after 8 years out of ticket. She ran very well and just needs a little timing tweak otherwise all good, forgot how much fun a little engine is to run.

2026 is going to be a busy year and hopefully progress in lots of places. I hope to get the A4 back in steam and complete most, if not all, my current orders for machines fittings.

What have you got planned for your project's this year?

Little and often we make progress! Injector valves all cleaned up and assembled, on to finishing the duplex valves. Lots...
30/11/2025

Little and often we make progress!

Injector valves all cleaned up and assembled, on to finishing the duplex valves. Lots of lapping in on these, they are fiddly little valves. Just the pipe nuts for the flared pipes to make and time to assemble these and another batch of bits done.

Couple of BR vacuum brakes, some injector water valves and manifolds coming soon.

The first batch of parts arrived from the foundry from the resin prints and generally very happy with the outcome. More to come soon.

Back off to China in 10 days until Christmas so trying to make as much progress as I can.

Evening all! After too long away from home working in China I was able to get back in the workshop this afternoon to wor...
23/11/2025

Evening all!

After too long away from home working in China I was able to get back in the workshop this afternoon to work through some jobs. Today was all about lapping in valves and finishing off some batches.

6, 5" BR Injector Steam Valves complete and another 6 started just need to machine the castings and repeated today's lapping in.
5, 5" BR Duplex Valves almost complete just the last few fittings to make.
2, 5" BR vacuum brakes on the way.

These photos just highlight how many parts go into making something as simple as an injector valve or the duplex valve, quite basic things but require many small components that take time. Next up is some more manifolds with two super scale ones up first that need to be completed.

Also some early feedback from foundry on the latest trial prints. Captions explain what's what. So far the process is looking promising with some refinement still needed. Hopefully some more feedback soon on the rest of the parts.

Hopefully some more work will get done this year but chance I'll be back in China for the weeks leading up to Christmas so we shall see.

Some mere 200 years ago little did George Stephenson know how he would change the world. All he knew was he wanted to ta...
27/09/2025

Some mere 200 years ago little did George Stephenson know how he would change the world. All he knew was he wanted to take Trevithick's ideas and make it a reality - a railway carrying passengers from A to B.

He could never have seen what it would become and how it inspired generations of engineers and how it still plays a huge role in today's society. He would also never have dreamt that the fall out from a railway would be us - model engineers.

Today we remember the amazing achievement that a small group of determined individuals took a steam locomotive with passengers along a railway and one day someone wanting that in their back garden to create what we have today. I love my hobby and I hope in 100 years time someone else is writing the same thing I am today!

Hope everyone has a great weekend at the club, workshop, train room or in front of the box watching something they enjoy of the railways!

Sadly I don't have any age appropriate models in the workshop so you'll have to do with some of BRs finest!

Evening all, hope everyone's enjoying the last few weekends of steam as the weather starts to change. I have been carryi...
21/09/2025

Evening all, hope everyone's enjoying the last few weekends of steam as the weather starts to change.

I have been carrying on with some batches of fittings in the background whilst having a rearrange to free up some space for the locos.

I recently put the A4 Silverfox back together for a display last weekend. Although not complete as missing the front end plumbing and still work to do on the valvegear it was great to see it back together.

I'm off to China with work next month so trying to get hours in the workshop before I go to finish some jobs off.

I've also been using printer a lot lately for jigs which make holding these castings so much easier and also tried a new castable resin which is now at the foundry for casting, will hopefully update on this soon.

Well my last post said I'd do better at updates in 2025 and here we are in July with first of the year, rubbish! Life ha...
20/07/2025

Well my last post said I'd do better at updates in 2025 and here we are in July with first of the year, rubbish!

Life has been crazy this year mainly with work taking over and also spending lots of time with Jess and Oscar, he's growing up so quick I can't believe he'll be 18 months tomorrow.

So what have I got up too? Honest answer, not a lot! I get in workshop now and then and slowly working through jobs and big focus at moment is completing some large outstanding orders and doing batch work where I can with those. Todays tidy up saw the bench prepped for the next wave of work, all BR fittings in 5", including 6 injector steam valves, 2 drivers Vacuum Brake valves, 4 duplex valves, 2 pedestals, 2 blower valves, 2 injector water valves, 1 super scale manifold for a 9f and 2 SSJ ejectors which a good friend is kindly helping me with! So not too much!

I have made a little time for myself here and there just to allow some projects to tick over and Silverfox boiler is back together with all its fittings and the chassis is now back running on air and I can see what work is required next. I've also got Camelot back in ticket ready for Gilling this year along with supporting my local club on a few Sundays out.

I'll try my best to get some updates as I work on these fittings so you can all see the progress again and also any days out I manage. Hopefully taking Dad to Oxford next weekend for the Dreaming Spires rally to stretch Camelots legs!

To anyone who's patiently waiting on parts or replies thanks as always for the support and understanding!

Good evening, everyone!Wow, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I can’t believe the last time I shared an update was back in A...
15/12/2024

Good evening, everyone!

Wow, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? I can’t believe the last time I shared an update was back in April—where has the time gone? Life has been incredibly busy, but I’ll aim to be better at keeping in touch in 2025!

This year has been absolutely full-on, but in the best way possible. Becoming a parent to little Oscar has been nothing short of amazing. Every moment has been a joy, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Obviously I have Jess to thank for everything she does with him, she is such an amazing mum.

On the work front, things have been equally intense. My responsibilities have grown as I work towards running the company, developing our business, and driving its growth. It’s been exciting but also keeps me on my toes!

Despite the whirlwind of life, I’m finally starting to get some workshop time again. Slowly but surely, I’m making progress on projects. Recently, I’ve even been able to focus on the home 3D printing side of things and have teamed up with a new foundry willing to work with 3D printed castable resins. The initial results have been really promising, and I can’t wait to share more as things develop!

Thanks for sticking with me, and here’s to more updates and exciting times ahead. Attached are some photos of the trial castings we have done which are scale 5" Lucas shovel blades and 5" oil cans, I hope the shovels can be a nice addition to a cab or tender.

More to follow soon!

Address


Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 20:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 20:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 20:00
Thursday 09:00 - 20:00
Friday 09:00 - 14:00
Saturday 10:00 - 17:00
Sunday 10:00 - 17:00

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cro Fittings posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Cro Fittings:

Shortcuts

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Engineering Company?

Share