Sold December 2008 Back to Archive

Halfway through building a three inch scale Burrell, started in 1972, a fateful visit to a rally brought the builder face to face with a four inch scale Showmans engine, built to Plastows "Princess" design. He took a photograph of the engine, writing on the back "first saw big Showmans engine" and, in a rush of blood to the head ordered up a set of castings and boiler for just such an engine, abandoning the little Burrell (although if you feel like finishing off this engine, started thirty-seven years ago, there are some pictures here).

Started in 1982, work continued to the state you see here - something around 80% complete. Morewood supplied the all silver-soldered copper boiler, Plastows the castings. Gears are commercially cut, the wheels have had tyres professionally bonded on. The transmission is complete from crankshaft down, with all gearing, differential and final drive. Cylinder block is machined ready to be fitted complete with valve chest and cover, governor and safety valves. The valve eccentric sheaves, straps, rods and lifting links are fitted, the expansion links and weighshaft are required to complete the valve gear.

Tender is well made and complete with fairleads, brake shaft tube and draw bar. Flanging and rivet work is neatly done.

Complete with boiler certificate for its initial twice working pressure hydraulic test, drawings and a quantity of photographs and builder's notes.

There's a picture of a complete, running engine I sold last year here - in four inch scale, road locomotives build up into large, powerful engines, highly capable of fast running on the road.