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A 5 inch narrow gauge South African Railways NG6 4-4-0, a class of 4-4-0s built by the Falcon Engine & Car Works of Loughborough at the end of the nineteenth century to work the Beira Line, then being built in Mozambique.

Based on a two foot gauge prototype, built to 2 1/4 inch scale it makes for a very large engine in 5 inch gauge, six feet long with its tender and weighing in at close to 400 pounds.

Regular readers may remember the exhibition-winning example we sold back in 2011, an engine built in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, an area which for many years has produced outstanding models, the work of a handful of preternaturally gifted builders.

As rare as the proverbial, we'd always assumed it was the only one in the UK - and one of only a small handful in existence worldwide (with most remaining in South Africa). So it was somewhat of a surprise when another turned up recently, in something between "oily rag" and "barn find" condition.

Apparently unused for many years - and with the remains of an ancient fire still on its grate - the engine arrived at our works with a liberal coating of dust, congealed steam oil and surface rust in the places that oil hadn't reached.

The engine had signs of much use, with the bottom end needing an overhaul and a variety of other jobs requiring attention, including leaks in the tender, a seized bottom fitting on one of the water gauges and adjustment of the reverser.

That said, leaving aside its grubby appearance and need for work over the coming winter, underneath is a finely built locomotive. If anything it's even more detailed that the first one we had, with a well-appointed cab and backhead including twin valve chest pressure gauges, slacking pipe off the nearside injector for washing down the footplate, opening spectacles, lever-operated blowdown valve and combined vacuum ejector/brake valve.

We gave the boiler a hydraulic test prior to steaming the engine, noting some deformation of material in the combustion chamber as the copper settled when new - not unusual in this location, it's something we see on other boilers of similar construction. Regulator and fittings all proved remarkably leak free given the age of the engine and time it's spent out of service.

Steaming an old engine that hasn't run in a long time is always a rewarding job, this one was no exception. It took perhaps an hour to get it thoroughly warmed through, after which it stayed in steam for a couple of hours, running better and better as time went on.

The injectors were a revelation. Made for the engine - one high pressure, one low - and stamped up with the builder's name they are complete with original South African test certification - which includes test pressure, temperature, dew-point, high and low operating pressures and altitude! The fastidious approach to their design, manufacture and documentation paid dividends in their performance - some of the best we've seen in this size, you put the water on, crack open the steam - and they work!

Beautifully matched to the boiler's demands, one can be used semi-continuously when running to keep it topped up, the second in reserve in case more water is required. Faultless at working pressure, they will pick up down to about 40psi with some trimming back of the water.

The safety valves keep pressure steady within WP + 10% with full blower - they open reliably and, in all normal running conditions, we suspect would never see more than 100psi on the gauge. Closing is another matter - like so many traction engines thus fitted, the Ramsbottom valves tend to need gentle encouragement with the shovel to seat.

With steam applied the turbo generator rapidly spools up to operating speed, which sounds to us somewhere in the tens of thousands of rpm!

The engine ran happily for an hour on the rolling road this morning, keeping itself in steam and water with occasional use of the highly effective - and remarkably quiet - blower. There is wear in the valve gear and the rocking shafts carrying motion from the inside eccentrics to outside valve chests - whilst it runs in either direction, notching up is unreliable, due mainly to lost motion in the gear.

The six wheeled tender has working leaf springs. Fitted with vacuum brakes acting on all wheels, the brake cylinder and vacuum reservoir are mounted under the tank.

Complete with two folder of builder's notes and sketches in readable, if fragile, condition.

Needing hours in the workshop rather than money spending, it would make a hugely rewarding restoration project, the original build quality, rarity and level of detail amply justifying the work required.