Sold November 2024 Back to Archive

The combustion chamber boiler has current club certification for a hydraulic test conducted in 2022.

There are interesting detail departures from the LBSC design - six-element superheater; mechanical lubricator with feed directly into the valve chests beneath the smokebox; locomotive and tender vacuum braked, with combined brake valve/ejector exhausting through a hollow stay into the smokebox - indicating the hand of an experienced builder.

Machining is to a high standard throughout, fit and finish of valve gear and motionwork is very good. The backhead is beautifully laid out; platework is neatly formed and fitted; paintwork is bright and presentable, if not to the exhibition quality of the rest of the build.

The engine rolls freely although currently doesn't run on air. It tries, but there is leakage past valves and/or pistons that will need the valve chest covers removing for investigation - not an uncommon problem in engines which have been laid up for a long period.