3 1/2 inch gauge Southern "King Arthur"

A well-built 3 1/2 inch gauge Southern "King Arthur" 4-6-0. An older engine, turned out in Southern Maunsell green livery and for many years kept on display in the owner's house alongside a Great Western "County".

Quite rare in this (or, indeed any) gauge, the engine has come to us as part of a large collection of locomotives that arrived in the summer, including a magnificent 7 1/4 inch gauge Standard Class 2, 4 inch scale Burrell DCC road locomotive and Lynton & Barnstaple "Yeo" that we've sold recently.

Presented as No.453, "King Arthur", the original locomotve was built at Eastleigh Works in 1925, running until 1961 when it was withdrawn.

The class was originally designed as the N15 by Urie for the London, South Western Railway, and later modifed by his successor, Richard Maunsell, who went on to be CME of the Southern Railway after grouping in 1923.

Largest of the Southern Railway 4-6-0s when built, "King Arthur" was only latter eclipsed in size by the introduction Maunsell's four cylinder "Lord Nelson" class in 1926.

The boiler has had hydraulic and steam tests with new certification issued. After recommissioning, on test the engine steamed freely and ran very well - there's some video of it on our YouTube channel here.