Sold September 2021 Back to Archive

Standard of machining, paintwork and fitting of valve gear and motionwork is impeccable. The pictures opposite tell much of the story, the design and execution of everything down to the smallest detail the mark of a fastidious and highly capable builder.

Cab is fitted with opening spectacles, the cylinders and valve chests have separate drain cocks, operated by a pair of levers in the cab. For hydraulic testing the boiler there is a brass plug with O-ring which, after removing a blanking cap, can be fitted to blank off the regulator. Firebox has front and rear dampers, operated independently by a pair of levers on the cab floor.

The coupling pin at the rear of the locomotive is spring loaded, simply so that it doesn't rattle when running; the hand pump handle - on many engines a utilitarian length of round bar - is cranked to suit the rear cab cutout and fitted with a comfortable wooden handle and O-ring to retain it in the pump socket.

The saddle tank has a level gauge in the cab, safety valves are beautifully made pop type devices which shut with a very satisfying "thunk"!

Parts throughout the chassis are stamped up "L" & "R" (including the bearing cotters), many are numbered.

Cylinder lubrication was initially by displacement, with twin sight feeds and an oil pressure gauge on the spectacle plate - the builder incorporated the same system on his Standard Class 5. On this engine it has been left in situ, but superceded by a mechanical lubricator mounted on the nearside running board.

In excellent condition throughout, the engine runs as well as it looks - there's some video of it running outside the works this afternoon here. It ran steadily for an hour without need of the blower and only minimal adjustment of the regulator, requiring occasional closing of the bypass valve to keep the boiler topped up.

The free-steaming nature of the boiler combined with excellent valve events put me in mind of Percy Wood's IMLEC winning J39 which we had in many years ago - a similarly well set up engine.

The purpose-built driving truck is hydraulic braked and fitted with a water tank supplying the injector. There is an axle pump, with eccentric sheave fitted to the axle but no strap or rod - possibly never fitted, it would not be difficult to make these parts up if desired in the future.

Complete with a transport/storage crate.