Sold July 2010 Back to Archive

An exceptionally well-built "Minnie" in 2 inch scale, a model which makes up into a decent-sized engine, more than capable of hauling a couple of people around.

All-welded steel boiler with steel tubes, working pressure 80psi, twin safety valves, feed by mechanical pump.

Cast iron cylinder with slide valve actuated by Stephenson's gear with pole reverser on the footplate, mechanical lubricator.

Workmanship is to a high standard throughout, fit and finish of the motionwork and gearing is very good with the engine running well on air, standard of welding is superb throughout.

The engine has had its initial twice working pressure hydraulic test, however note that the original "Minnie" design relied on a single mechanical pump for boiler feed - to pass a current steam test the engine will require a second, independent means of putting water in the boiler. Although inelegant, the easiest way of achieving this would be to fit a handpump sharing the clack valve (the check valves on both pumps protecting each from the other's outflow). Far nicer would be to fit an injector, although this would require a selector valve at the clack, like the 7nhp Marshall design, to stop the pump pushing water straight out of the injector's overflow.

Hydraulic test @160psi, 28-6-2010