3 1/2 inch gauge North Eastern R1

A finely made 3 1/2 inch gauge North Eastern R1 to LBSC's "Miss Ten to Eight" design, the work of the late Keith Massey, a man whose work we hold in high esteem - see the blog here for more information on this most remarkable of model engineers.

Unsteamed from new, this one is absolutely typical of a Massey engine - idiosyncratic livery, standard grey finish inside the cab (which he seems to have used on all his engines) and no pressure gauge. He made his own pressure gauges and told me he didn't like doing them - so he kept two or three and just swapped them around between engines. Quality of machining, fit and finish, is excellent throughout.

The duplex steam pump is a jewel of a thing - we had it running on air in the workshop this morning, it is reliable starting and running down to the slowest tickover. With an overall height of less than three inches and steam cylinder bores we estimate at 3/8 inch it's a diminutive thing - we've seen pumps ten times the size that don't work anywhere near as well! There's a clip of it running here.