Sold September 2005 Back to Archive

I won't say yet again that I think LBSC's "Maid of Kent" is one of his best ever designs, suffice to say that this is a really nice one! The great man produced several variants - inside or outside cylinders, Joy or Stephenson's valve gear (and the same for the 0-6-0 goods version "Minx"). The 4-4-0s usually get dolled up as Midland Compounds in their outside cylinder guise, or Southern L1s with inside cylinders - both versions go well, although this specimen only goes to reinforce my pet theory about the capacity of inside cylinder engines for fast, smooth running.

Silver soldered copper boiler with superheater, working pressure 80psi, twin safety valves. Boiler feed by injector and tender-mounted axle pump, auxiliary hand pump in tender. Inside cylinders, slide valves with screw reverser in cab. Mechanical lubricator on left hand running board.

The engine is six years old, built to a high standard and runs very well. It's an easy to fire and drive design, the boiler makes steam in the LBSC-approved way and the seven inch driving wheels make for the most wonderful relaxed exhaust you hear in five inch gauge (which is the sole reason I bought a MoK for myself after I heard one running at Romney Club). Paintwork is good, with one small patch of paint missing from the right hand rear tender step).

It was a very bright, sunny day outside the workshop when I took the pictures - the engine is actually rather greener than it looks, a good match for Southern green in actual fact.

Length
Locomotive 37 inches
Tender 23 inches