5 inch gauge LMS Black 5

A 5 inch gauge LMS Black 5, a well built engine at an advanced stage of construction although as yet unsteamed.

It's come to us from a long-time customer and highly experienced model engineer as, with advancing years and a change in home circumstances, he has moved to downsize his current collection which included an early stage LNER B1 and the well-advanced 3 inch scale Allchin we sold recently.

A nicely detailed build, fit and finish of machined components is very good, the platework is neatly formed and riveted.

The chassis runs well on air in either direction with clear, square exhaust beats; the silver soldered copper boiler has had a club hydraulic test in recent weeks with certification issued - we have confirmed that result with our own twice working pressure test and would warranty the boiler as sound.

The previous owner included a short list of jobs required to complete the engine:

• Investigate why some holes in running boards don't line up with tapped holes in brackets (remove cab roof and sides plus steam pipe covers first)
• Re-assemble, fitting missing screws in platework (mostly missing because I ran out of 10BA x 1/4" small head screws!)
• Paint all bare screw heads
• Paint cab floor
• Steam test