5 inch gauge Britannia "William Shakespeare"

A 5 inch gauge "Britannia", built to the Perrier design using drawings supplied by Norman Spink. An older engine, it's the work of an experienced model engineer responsible for several other good models, including a triple expansion engine steam plant, 1 1/2 inch scale Allchin and a 3 1/2 inch gauge Britannia built to the same design as the 5 inch version, the last engine he had in build.

An older engine, it's come to us direct from the builder's family. Unused for some years, the paintwork is somewhat faded, however underneath is a particularly well-built locomotive - fit and finish of the motionwork and valve gear is excellent, platework is all neatly formed and fitted.

There are a variety of jobs required before it's used in anger next season, including:

• Service/replace safety valves
• Service regulator, stiff to operate when hot
• Clean/replace LH injector, picks up but feeds slowly
• Free off seized blowdowns on water gauges
• Free off RH injector steam valve
• Repair leak on LH injector delivery pipe
• Service firehole door mechanism which tends to jam when fully open

Other than that it is basically in good condition, steaming freely and running well on our rolling road on test last week.