Sold August 2010 Back to Archive

One of the nicest “Butches” I’ve had in, a particularly well-made engine that runs very quietly. There were a plethora of well-proportioned tank engines of this type and size which got swept away by Evans’ all-conquering “Simplex” design when it appeared – they seem, slowly, to be making a bit of a return.

Silver soldered superheated copper boiler, 80psi working pressure, feed by axle pump with bypass and injector, hand pump in rear bunker. Cast iron cylinders with slide valves actuated by Walschaert’s gear, pole reverser in cab. Sight feed lubricator with substantial oil tank underneath cab floor – this has been very nicely set up, with a regulator-linked cut-off valve as per Swindon practice.

Remote axle-box oilers have been fitted to the front of the water tanks, which is an eminently sensible idea for all side tank engines, many of which come in here with axle boxes that last saw oil when the engine was assembled. Water tanks have mesh filters in the fillers, contributing to reliability of the injector.