Sold September 2003 Back to Archive

Gauge 1 LNWR Precursor "Hardwicke" - stock code 1958

In the fiercely-fought "Race to the North" in the nineteenth century, the London, North Western's "Improved Precedent" 2-4-0s (affectionately known as "Jumbos") distinguished themselves with epic express performances over the West Coast mainline, including the infamous 1 in 75 Shap incline. Number 790, "Hardwicke" is preserved in the National Railway Museum, along with Patrick Stirling's No.1 8 foot single, its adversary on the East Coast line.

This is spirit-fired gauge 1 model, single cylinder with slip eccentric valve gear, displacement lubricator mounted in the cab and centre flue copper boiler fed by a hand pump in the tender. I sold two of a batch of three of these locomotives earlier in the year. The builder, a professional machinist, has now decided to sell the last engine - it has been steamed on a couple of occasions but is to all intents and purposes like new. It is nicely detailed, turned out in handpainted and lined LNWR Blackberry livery.

Length:
Locomotive 10 inches
Tender 9 inches

gauge Gauge 1 & smaller