Sold November 2010 Back to Archive

I've had this Foster squirelled away in the stables up at home for months, waiting for a chance to do something with it. As the workshop gets ever busier building new locomotives, the chances of this getting in any time soon are getting more and more remote, so here it is, wheeled out into the daylight for the first time this year.

A beautifully built 4 inch scale Foster - I would rate it as one of the top two or three I've had to this design over the years. Machining is very crisp throughout, paintwork well done, not overly flamboyant and in good condition, detailing is excellent with correct use of locking nuts on bearing caps, thread holes for jacking screws in the valve chest cover, canvas-covered check chain between the main steering chains - the whole thing is a particularly well made engine.

It was last used over ten years ago and has been stored indoors since. The reason for its lay-up was a perforated tube in the top row of the boiler, strange given the condition and thickness of the others is good. At a pinch it could be blanked off and the engine used as-is, a proper job would be to knock it out and expand another in. If you're feeling really keen, it could be completely re-tubed.

Steel boiler with expanded tubes, working pressure 100psi, twin Ramsbottom safety valves, feed by mechanical pump and injector. Cast iron cylinder with slide valve actuated by Stephenson's gear with pole reverser on footplate, the engine is fitted with a governor. Mechanical lubricator. Two speed, four shaft transmission with winch mounted behind nearside rear wheel, fairleads mounted on tender.

The engine has been built with generous use of stainless steel, including the ashpan, fairleads and valve rods, which goes a good way to keeping it looking so clean.

Length 72 inches
Weight 8 1/2 cwt