Sold June 2014 Back to Archive

Another engine from the same collection as the Armstrong Single currently in stock, this must be one of the very first Britannias ever built in 5 inch gauge, a ten year project started in 1953. Given that the first full-sized engine rolled out in 1951, the builder was pretty quick off the mark with this one, helped no doubt by LBSC's 3 1/2 inch gauge design which came out at the same time as the prototype, the designer having been given access to the works drawings during the full-size build.

Fit and finish of the motionwork and valve gear is very good, the rods are well made and nicely fluted. The engine appears to have had very little use in its life, we're fairly sure it hasn't been steamed in at least thirty years.

Silver soldered copper boiler, 90psi working pressure, feed by injector and axle pump with auxiliary hand pump in the tender. Cast iron cylinders with piston valves actuated by Walschaert's gear with screw reverser. Twin mechanical lubricators.

Hydraulic test @180psi for 90psi working pressure, 29-Apr-2014