Sold November 2013 Back to Archive

A well-built 7 1/4 inch gauge Mogul to the well-regarded Gene Allen design, with firing irons, blower and a custom fitted road trailer.

This one has come direct from the builder, an experienced engineer with several other locomotives to his credit (with a Standard Class 4 currently well-advanced on his bench). It goes particularly well, machining has been crisply executed, layout of the backhead and cab fittings is very neat and there are lots of nice detail touches (including the steam-operated bell which, by his own admission, is a challenge to make work!).

Steel boiler with expanded tubes (re-tubed with new firebox in 2009 by Bell Boilers), 100psi working pressure, feed by injector, axle and steam pumps with a hand pump in the tender. Cast iron cylinders with slide valves actuated by Walschaert's gear with pole reverser in the cab, automatic drain cocks. Sight feed cylinder lubrication. There is an effective steam brake, the locomotive is vacuum fitted for train braking. Chime whistle located under the offside running boards, with a dummy whistle mounted up on the dome. Locomotive to tender coupling is fitted with a safety chain.

The road trailer is well-built, has good tyres, a lockable hitch and tows beautifully - I hardly noticed it behind me on the 200 mile trip home. It's fitted out with rails and tie-down bars for the engine and tender.

I like this engine, it's big enough to do a serious day's work, whilst not being so huge as to make handling it difficult. Packed into its trailer, it makes a very appealing clubman's outfit - easy to park at one end of the garage ready to take out at the weekend.

Length
Locomotive 55 inches
Tender 37 inches