Sold September 2019 Back to Archive

5 inch gauge LNER K4 2-6-0 - stock code 8755

A 5 inch gauge LNER K4 Mogul, Gresley's three cylinder design of 1936 for the West Highland line - a total of six were built.

An older engine, it won a Very Highly Commended at the Stoneleigh Exhibition in 1989, held by the Midlands Federation of Model Making Societies.

It's come to us from a long time customer - we sold him a 3 1/2 inch gauge "William" many years ago which he used at his club in Scotland.

Boiler paperwork for the K4 was somewhat shaky when the previous owner first took delivery, consisting of a hydraulic test certificate and a video of it in steam, but no steam test. Novel way to test a boiler...

Somewhat concerned he sent it to Andy Walton at Denver Light Railway - a thoroughly sound chap - for a further hydraulic test, which it passed. It then, for reasons unclear, went back to the vendor for the "professional repaint" you see pictured opposite.

We use the term "professional" in its strictest sense - ie: the owner was charged money for it - rather than in any way indicating a degree of proficiency on the part of the painter. Whilst we've no doubt you could find a twelve year old who'd do a worse job, you'd need to pick the child carefully.

Since arriving here it's had a full boiler test - hydraulic and steam - which showed that the boiler is structurally sound but the safety valves accumulated like mad. Three of the four blower nozzles had been blocked in an attempt to mask the problem, to no avail (you start to see why the video of it in steam was offered in preference to a written certificate!)

Replacement safety valves from our friends at Polly sorted the problem, it now has up to date hydraulic and steam certificates.

The engine steams freely and runs smoothly (as you might expect from three cylinders), slightly asthmatic although notching up ok.

Rather a rare model - technically interesting with the elegant Gresley-Holcroft gear and of handsome proportions.

gauge 5 inch
length/inches 39 + 26
width/inches 10
height/inches 13
wheel material cast iron
cylinder material gunmetal
valve type piston
valve gear Gresley-Holcroft conjugated
reverser type screw
lubricator type mechanical
injector(s) 1
boiler number 110
boiler maker unknown
CE mark n/a - pre-2002
working pressure/psi 90
boiler type locomotive
boiler material copper
boiler construction silver soldered
hydraulic test valid to 8-Sep-2023
steam test valid to 10-Nov-2020
superheater(s) 2
superheater type radiant
safety valve(s) 2
safety valve type spring
mechanical pump 2
hand pump 1
whistle yes