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A 5 inch narrow gauge "Alice" class Quarry Hunslet, the work of a highly skilled engineer who served his apprenticeship at Coopers Bearings of Kings Lynn before moving to Nottinghamshire where he spent the remainder of his life. A prolific and much decorated model engineer, starting with a 3 1/2 inch gauge "Mona" to the LBSC design before moving on to building a very fine LNER A4 in the same gauge to the Clarkson design, he took first class awards at several national exhibitions.

The Hunslet was the penultimate engine built, he had made a good start on a "Sweet Pea" before an unexpected illness cut short an illustrious modelling career.

Built to an exceptional standard, fit and finish is excellent throughout, the platework neatly formed and riveted together, the cab and fittings a work of art.

The chassis runs beautifully on air with clear, square exhaust beats; the silver soldered copper boiler has had a twice working pressure hydraulic test with cladding removed, we've issued a new certificate for same.

There is work required to finish the engine, the main job being provision of a regulator - there is currently no main steam pipe to the wet header, nor valve mounted in the boiler. Without being able to ask the builder his intentions, our suggestion would be a ball valve mounted on the - already installed - regulator plate beneath the inner dome, connecting up with the existing regulator handle and shaft currently fitted.

The locomotive bears the name of the builder's wife - a fine name for an estimable lady (who makes an excellent cup of coffee, let it be said), however the works plates made for the engine, bearing the number 492 of 1889, are for "Alice", latterly of the Leighton Buzzard Railway and now running at the Bala Lake Railway.

The only thing a slight mystery about this fine model is its scale. Most of the 5 inch gauge Hunslets we see are to the Don Young design (including "Holy War", which we sold earlier this year), running out at about 32 inches long and weighing in at around 150 pounds. When we first saw this one, such was its size we were convinced it was actually a 3 inch scale, 7 1/4 inch gauge engine to Alan Ruston's "Elidir" design until a quick measure round with the ruler confirmed that no, it really was 5 inch gauge - but measuring 42 inches long and weighing in at just over 300 pounds, making it something over 3 inch scale.

A very fine model - we look forward to seeing it finished. Remarkably all members of the class - 11 locomotives built between 1886 and 1904 - survived into preservation. Those seeking further information on this prettiest of narrow gauge locomotives could do worse than acquiring a copy of Cliff Thomas' excellent book "Quarry Hunslets of North Wales" (a copy of which has been on our bookshelf since it was published!)