Sold

13039

7 1/4 inch gauge LMS Duchess with commercial boiler

We sold this one earlier in the year to a local man, a highly skilled engineer, equally adept at rebuilding vintage vehicles as building locomotives. Work has progressed rapidly since February, with new frames cut and erected, wheels machined and rods bushed - some of the work done by the builder, other jobs done by our ever capable friends at 17D.

A change of circumstances, involving a house move, has required rationalisation of projects. With other cars and motorcycles currently in the workshop, the decision was made, reluctantly, to part with the Duchess.

A large quantity of castings, machined parts and material - in total over a third of a ton - for a 7 1/4 inch gauge LMS Duchess to the Jim Vass design, including:

  • CE-marked silver soldered copper boiler by Devon Steam Boilers with manufacturer's documentation
  • stainless steel superheaters
  • complete tender
  • main frame and rear subframe
  • complete front bogie
  • driving wheels, complete with balance plates, keyed for quartering. Flanges require final machining to profile
  • rear bogie wheel castings
  • machined inside and outside cylinder blocks with pistons and rings, piston valves and respective rods
  • crossheads with drop links
  • connecting and coupling rods
  • valve gear components, including return cranks, expansion links, eccentric rods, combination levers and radius rods
  • set of four cylinder relief valves
  • set of four snifting valves
  • fine scale screw reverser with locking handle
  • locomotive buffers
  • brake blocks
  • twin petticoat pipes
  • motion brackets
  • set of four safety valves
  • fountain
  • stainless steel grate and ashpan
  • laser profiled platework for cab, smoke deflectors
  • steam brake cylinder assembly
  • miscellaneous smaller parts including frame stretchers, steps, dummy leaf springs, brake blocks, dummy sanders etc
  • quantity fine scale lost wax castings

Complete with a quantity of drawings.

Work to date is to a a good standard, with some of the more complex jobs put out for professional machining.

An ambitious project for the more experienced engineer; however, with much of the heavy machining now done, the engine could be completed with modest-sized machinery.

The size, cost and complexity of a Duchess in this gauge account for the rareness of finished models - we've had just one in the last twenty years, the magnificent "Queen Mary" which sold back in 2018.

Technical information

Stock code

13039

Gauge

7 1/4 inch

Length/inches

72 + 38

Width/inches

14

Height/inches

21.5

Weight/Kg

370

Wheel material

cast iron

Axlebox type

roller bearing

Cylinder material

cast iron

Valve type

piston

Valve gear

Walschaerts

Reverser type

screw

Boiler maker

Devon Steam Boilers

Boiler type

locomotive

Boiler construction

silver soldered

Boiler material

copper

Working pressure

90

CE/UKCA mark

Yes

Year built

2015

Boiler number

DSB 285

Superheater type

radiant

Superheater

3

Date out

Aug-25

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