Sold September 2016 Back to Archive

A 3 1/2 inch gauge small-boiler Tich, the original incarnation of LBSC's popular beginner's locomotive. Whilst engines deemed suitable for a beginner to learn to drive with have got bigger over the years, there's still nothing nicer looking to put on your bookshelf than one of these!

Built nearly forty years ago, the first model from a skilled engineer who has gone on to produce a large body of work including stationary engines, locomotives, traction engines and clocks - current projects on the bench include a "Red Wing" open crank engine being built in parallel with a Southworth steam pump, next up a regulator clock.

Silver soldered copper boiler, 80psi working pressure, feed by axle pump and hand pump. Gunmetal cylinders with slide valves actuated by Walschaert's gear, pole reverser in cab, mechanical lubricator.

Test run when build, it spent the next twenty years on display in the builder's house, the last twenty in his attic from whence it appeared last week when John and I visited to collect several other engines. Condition, as you might imagine, is as-new.

From a collection of stationary engines recently arrived from the builder, including Galloway's non-dead centre, Corliss tandem compound, Stuart triple expansion, Westbury diagonal paddle and "ME" beam engines. His other work includes clocks, locomotives and traction engines, all built to a similar standard over a forty year modelling career - current projects include a "Red Wing" IC engine and Southworth steam pump, after which a regulator clock is in the planning stages.

Length 16 inches
Height 17 inches
Width 10 inches