Sold March 2022 Back to Archive

A 7 1/4 inch gauge Kerr, Stuart "Wren" 0-4-0ST to the Ken Swan design, an older engine that had a new boiler fitted in 2010 and then ran at the owner's club up until everything closed down in 2019.

The engine has done a lot of work over the years, it's now due an overhaul. Bottom end will need some rebushing, it runs quite well forwards but asthmatically in reverse. Wheelsets have some wear - there's enough material in the casting simply to reprofile next time they're out, although fitting steel tyres would be a better long term solution.

The boiler is a TIG-welded job by Steam Technology. At its last club test in 2018 one stay in the firebox was noted as showing a bead of water - for that reason the club inspector issued a hydraulic certificate for one year, passed for full pressure running, following which it went back into public passenger service.

Since arriving we've tested the boiler - at twice working pressure one stay shows a bead of water that will, in time, drip. At one and a half times pressure the bead remains just that - a bead of water which doesn't drip. In steam it takes up, the firebox is completely dry.

We consider it structurally sound, safe to steam but will require attention (to which end the original manufacturer has already expressed themselves willing to repair the boiler if returned to them, which is some recommendation for the faith they have in their product). Cosmetically the brightwork has surface rust in places, including the motionwork; the paintwork is now shabby - both could be attended to whilst stripped for overhaul.

We had it in steam one morning last week for an hour - it steams well enough and ran happily back and forth on the portable track - there's some video here.

If you need reminding what a clean example looks like, we sold a nice "Wren" a couple of months ago, pictures in the archive here.