Sold January 2016 Back to Archive

A part-built 7 1/4 inch gauge Manning Wardle 0-4-0ST to the excellent Derek ("DAG") Brown/Mark Smithers design. Work to date is to a good standard, much of the work was contracted out for CNC machining a local engineering company. There's enough bits here to get to an air-running chassis with little further expenditure other than time - the builder estimated he was a month away from having it running.

• Erected frames with wheelsets, axleboxes, horns, spring hangers

• Smokebox front and back rings

• Machined cylinders, pistons with Clupet rings fitted

• Machined crossheads

• Valve eccentric straps and sheaves machined

• Connecting and coupling rods machined from gauge plate

• Steam brake cylinder machined and fitted

Complete with a set of Mr Brown's peerless drawings, the great man still supplies parts and castings (as well as much useful advice, I hazard to guess).

My own small part in the "Anna" story is being the boiler inspector for the first engine built - Derek's own - with stage inspections, hydraulic and steam tests in their turn. His engine first ran on the railway here at home, we both had a short run with it on the day - there's a video here if you want to see what you're letting yourself in for.