{"product_id":"3-12-inch-gauge-midland-4-4-0-stock-code-2166","title":"3 1\/2 inch gauge Midland 4-4-0","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 1907 Deeley, the Midland Railway's CME, designed an inside cylinder 4-4-0  for comparison trials with the then-current 3-cylinder compounds. Built at the  Midland's Derby works, 999, the first of the class, was originally turned out  with a saturated boiler and set to work on the Leeds-Carlisle line. An  elegant-looking engine owing much to Johnson's legacy of small 4-4-0s which were  frequently used double-headed, the new design was found to have little advantage  over the compounds. The class eventually totalled ten engines, rebuilt with  superheated boilers under Fowler's regime - all were withdrawn by the end of the  1920s.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eA very nicely-built older model carrying a plate on the tender  \"H.C.Robinson, Maker, Enfield, 1945\". Exceptionally well painted in  lined out crimson lake, sign-written tender and buffer beams, with the correct  type numberplate on the smokebox door.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eCopper superheated boiler with three element copper superheater. Boiler feed by axle  pump and auxiliary hand pump in tender. Twin inside cylinders with slide valves actuated by Joy valve gear,  screw-reverser in cab. Mechanical lubricator behind front buffer beam. The  backhead is fitted with a modern replacement pressure gauge, water gauge  with blowdown, lever-type regulator and blower valve.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eA rather elegant and rarely-modelled engine, this model is well-made and authentically-detailed, from working leaf  springs in the front bogie to the distinctive double spectacle cab. It is in  good working order, but would be equally at home on display (indeed it was  handsome enough to get the Mrs P seal of approval, so it's currently in the  dining room in the spot recently vacated by a good Liverpool \u0026amp;  Manchester \"Lion\").\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eLength\u003cbr\u003e  Locomotive 25 inches\u003cbr\u003e  Tender 16 inches\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePostscript: a little history\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eMy father called this afternoon, having been speaking to an old friend of  his, George Barlow, legendary locomotive superintendent of the Romney, Hythe  \u0026amp; Dymchurch, long-time friend of LBSC (and owner of the Inspector Meticulous  \"Fayette\") and a prodigously knowledgable authority on all sizes of  model locomotives. They fell to talking about \"999\" (Dad and I having  talked about it when the engine came in) and George recalled first seeing a 900  class engine going through Nottingham in 1926. Having given chapter and verse on  the salient design points of the class (and I know from talking to him myself,  technical detail is available on instant recall - this from a man well into his  ninth decade!), George then mentioned that he'd once seen a very nice model of  one built during the war by a chap in Enfield. I hadn't mentioned the builder's  plate to father, but after a few minutes George came up with \"Harry  Robinson - that was his name. He built two other locomotives, a Lickey Banker  and a GWR Dean Goods, all in 3 1\/2 inch gauge. Each carried his maker's plate,  although one engine was bought by a \u003ci\u003egentleman\u003c\/i\u003e (my word, not George's!)  who removed it and claimed the build as his own\".\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eIf only my mind works like that in forty years time. In fact, I 'd settle for  it working like that now...\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Station Road Steam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54010124566869,"sku":"2166","price":2950.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/0094\/2677\/files\/2166-1_a33c84d5-d6ff-49f8-9707-411092cf0b57.webp?v=1779900529","url":"https:\/\/stationroadsteam.com\/products\/3-12-inch-gauge-midland-4-4-0-stock-code-2166","provider":"Station Road Steam","version":"1.0","type":"link"}