Sold July 2009 Back to Archive

This engine came in a few weeks ago, the following Saturday after what can only be described as "one of those weeks" I had a day down the club booked into the diary, by way of getting away from work for a few hours (yes I know, plays with steam engines all week then spends his weekends er, playing with steam engines).

Somewhat ambitiously I'd packed the beautiful Lancashire and Yorkshire tank that has just sold, at the last minute I put the Sweet Pea in the van in case anybody else wanted something to drive. In the event it was only me, Alan and Martin down at the track (and they were playing around on the 7 1/4 so I had the 5 inch track to myself). Opening the Lanky tank's crate, I was confronted by a glittering array of valves, levers, vacuum gauges, all sorts of lovely twiddly little detailed blobs and gadgets - whereas what I wanted was something I could just sling a fire in and trundle round watching the world go by whilst not having to do much thinking...

And so it was "Friar Tuck" that spent the next three hours going round and round in the Lincolnshire sunshine, making for a most enjoyable (if somewhat solitary) afternoon. It goes quietly, without fuss - a willing steamer, all in all a thoroughly nice thing to drive. Just what was needed, I came home almost a new man (and steamed the L&Y three days later, when in a more robust frame of mind).

Silver soldered copper boiler, 80 psi working pressure, feed by axle pump with a hand pump underneath the left hand cab floor. Slide valve cylinders with Hackworth valve gear, mechanical lubricator with a pair of auxiliary displacement lubricators. Screw down brake working on rear wheels.

An older engine, the paint has a rather nice faded sheen to it, however mechanically it's in good order.

Length 32 inches
Weight 120 pounds