Sold April 2008 Back to Archive

I rather surprised myself with this one. Having spent a most pleasant (if very cold) afternoon at the club with it yesterday afternoon, I can honestly say it's one of the nicest Prairies I've driven in recent years. It came in a couple of weeks ago and I hadn't had a chance to service it - the workshop is flat out in other directions at the moment (see the news page), so it was a bit of a lottery quite what would and wouldn't work. David and I threw it in the van along with another engine which I knew would go, and headed off to the track, getting there about three in the afternoon. Raised steam quickly, found out the injector didn't want to work, dismantled it, found a little pellet of black stuff in the steam cone (which friend Alan swore was a mouse dropping), removed it, refitted injector, blower on to pick up some steam and in goes the water.

The boiler is a good-sized Belpaire box job, it makes steam like it's going out of fashion. With a good fire it will make pressure against the injector full on. Setting off with 50 pounds on the clock, it is blowing off at 90 after half a lap (about 600 feet at our place). I think it's fair to say that everybody who drove it was impressed (Alan going as far as to say he'd buy it if he hadn't recently bought his Lord Nelson, although it may have been hypothermia setting in and affecting his judgement).

Superheated copper boiler, silver-soldered throughout, complete with builder's twice pressure hydraulic and last club certificates. Working pressure 90psi, feed by crosshead pump and injector with auxiliary hand pump in side tank. The grate rocks to empty, worked by a rod and handle from beneath the rear of the engine (which was very civilised at the end of the day). Mechanical lubricator. Outside cylinders with slide valve actuated by Stephenson's reversing gear with pole reverser in cab.

Completed in 2002, it's in good condition throughout - it appears to have had little use, the cladding around the firebox is still brilliant white, which won't last long given some use. There is a cab roof which is unpainted brass and appears never to have been fitted.

There is a video of the day on our YouTube channel (and thanks to Alan for driving while I worked the camera and lending us his blower). We didn't finish until nearly dark, including two final laps with Alan driving, 10psi on the clock and me riding behind him facing backwards (I wanted to see if it felt like riding up the Ffestiniong in their observation car - it was similar, although without the plush carpets, heating and a nice man who brings the coffee).

Length 40 inches
Weight approx 140 pounds