Sold February 2011 Back to Archive

I had this one in a long time ago - before I ramble on about it now, it would be worth reminding yourself what it used to look like, there's the usual plethora of pictures and lengthy writeup in the archive here.

Right, back with me?

Since last here, the engine has done probably less than a hundred yards running, over four panels of track which could be put down on the owner's drive. With a busy daytime job and other projects competing for attention in the evening (including a Maxitrak Dixie and Pug tank, both bought as kits to assemble), little happened to the Prairie, left sitting under a bench in the workshop as months turned into years...

Due to a change in the owner's circumstances, the Prairie has now come back (with Dixie and Pug in attendance, but they're for another day once Claire's back off hols and takes some pictures). The engine has, for slightly obscure reasons, been part-stripped with the boiler lifted from the frames and its fittings removed - the chassis, however, remains untouched and is still in running order.

We've got all the bits in an assortment of boxes - cab, tanks, all cladding, fittings, everything, as far as I can see. Given the boiler was dismounted, it was an ideal time for our boiler inspector to look at it, conduct a hydraulic test and issue a new certificate - it's ready to go back on the chassis.

If desired, the engine could be put back together quickly and steamed within weeks rather than months for little or no extra expenditure. If I were doing the job, I would take the opportunity to repaint it completely (never was too sure about Indian Red frames on a Prairie) - given the underlying quality of build, it has the potential to make a really nice engine.

Going on past experience describing dismantled projects, can I re-iterate that this engine is complete - everything else is stacked on a high shelf in the workshop, the only reason it's not been photographed this afternoon. Please, please don't send me emails asking if it's got a boiler or would it be much work to make a cab...