Sold August 2011 Back to Archive

The last engine built at the end of a productive model engineering career, it isn’t often we get an engine in with quite the amount of detailed build history as this one. Starting from the start of the project in 1974, every hour in the workshop was systematically logged, pictures of other builders’ examplestaken, detailed notes kept on machining setups, a comprehensive photographic log maintained until, nearly 1500 hours in the workshop (and some twelve years later) the job was done.

I think it was time well spent. The engine is beautifully made, fit and finish of the motion is excellent, it feels silky smooth to turn over. The boiler was tested when first built and has a twice pressure hydraulic test from the builder’s club. Unsteamed in his lifetime, it has had a fire in it once, briefly, earlier this year when his son couldn’t resist seeing it ticking over at low pressure on steam before parting with it.

Silver soldered copper boiler, 90 psi working pressure, feed by mechanical pump with bypass and injector. Twin Ramsbottom safety valves. Single cylinder with slide valve actuated by Stephenson’s gear with pole reverser. Mechanical lubricator, Pickering governor. The engine has two road speed with differential, there is a winch fitted behind the nearside rear wheel.

The engine comes complete with wooden stand and Perspex cover under which it has spent its entire life to date. If intended for regular use in future, it will need a little light commissioning, there are various leaky unions to fittings and the injector remains an unknown quantity.

Complete with the above-mentioned folder of documentations (its about three inches thick), Hughes’ book on building the Allchin and a complete set of drawings.