Sold April 2010 Back to Archive

A well-advanced 7 ¼ inch gauge Black 5 to Martin Evans’ “Highlander” design, the work of a prolific model engineer, whose first engine – a Great Western 14xx by the same designer – took a “Very Highly Commended” at the London Model Engineering Exhibition, which he followed up by building the Isle of Man 0-6-0T “Caledonia”. A builder rather than club driver, after test steaming and painting the first two engines he put them away in the garage and set to with the Stanier 4-6-0. Advancing years and a house move led to the decision to part with both the complete engines and this work in progress, the whole collection arriving here a couple of weeks ago.

Work to date is to a high standard and comprises a complete chassis with smokebox assembly, blast pipe and blower ring, running boards and steam brake cylinder. Wheels are in cast iron, hollow driving axles as per prototype with leading bogie wheels tyred in steel – the bogie axles are provided with oil nipples. Split gunmetal axleboxes with remote lubricators on the running boards.

Gunmetal piston-valve cylinders, Walschaert’s valve gear with screw reverser in cab, twin mechanical lubricator giving independent feed to each cylinder. Drain cocks rod-operated from cab.

The tender is complete, the platework nicely done with flat sheet and neatly placed and closed rivets.

The boiler is about 90% complete, of silver-soldered copper construction, as on his other engines.

There is a large quantity of machined and fabricated parts including:

• Cab
• Fountain complete with all valves
• Stainless steel radiant superheaters
• Inner & outer domes, top feed cover
• Regulator
• Driver’s steam brake valve
• Boiler fittings including water gauges, safety valves, blowdown valves, whistle
• Stainless steel grate and ashpan
• Set of Diane Carney tender, works and smokebox plates
• Tender and cabside transfers

There are copies of the original Evans construction articles and a complete set of drawings, along with an album of the builder’s construction photographs.

A large, powerful engine when complete, this one is probably better than 80% done, with the potential to make a fine engine when finished.

I had a good one of these come in last year which Alan and I enjoyed trying out at the club – there are some pictures and a video of that one in the archive.