4 inch scale Durham & North Yorkshire traction engine

More usually seen in 2 inch scale, this is a doubled up, 4 inch version of John Haining's handsome design for a Durham & North Yorkshire agricultural engine.

It's recently arrived in part exchange for a Feldbahn, the previous owner now embarked on building a railway in an idyllic garden setting, close to one of the major 15 inch gauge railways in the country.

The engine came to us with some boiler history - in recent years it's had a couple of tests, although with no evidence of internal inspection nor cladding removed to inspect condition of the barrel.

We've done an ultrasonic survey to record plate thicknesses and lifted the cladding to inspect the barrel, followed by internal camera inspection with throatplate plugs removed.

The engine has had hydraulic and steam test in recent days, with new certification issued - it steams freely and runs well, the rubber tyres making for a comfortable ride on metalled surfaces.

Complete with a tender-mounted driving seat and water bowser fitted with tool box, the engine is road-registered with V5 document.