4 inch scale Burrell SCC agricultural engine

A 4 inch scale Burrell SCC agricultural engine, cosmetically alarming (not helped by the low, December sun illuminating the photographs opposite) although performing in steam rather better than we expected.

Completed in 2016, it was initially inspected by D.J.Wothers Inspection Services and re-tested in 2017 and 2018, when it was last steamed in the builder's ownership.

It's come to us from a long time customer, a retired chartered engineer who, amongst other projects, made a particularly nice job of assembling a kit-build "Stafford" which we sold earlier in the year.

The Burrell - bought from the builder earlier in the year in one of those "wouldn't this be a good idea" moments that we all have from time to time - has proved too big to handle, so it's being moved on to concentrate on smaller gauges and scales, a "Polly" 0-6-0 now well-advanced on the bench.

As bought, the engine was largely complete, although missing boiler cladding and gear guards. There were a variety of niggling faults, some rectified, others remaining. The original Ramsbottom safety valves opened but didn't shut reliably - pretty much endemic in this design - and have been replaced with a pair of spring valves by John Rex which work beautifully, with dummy shrouds to replicate the look of the originals.

Originally fitted with a long, clumsy-looking regulator handle, the new owner made something more prototypical - only to find that, on a 150psi working compound, the regulator was now stiff to operate...

Other jobs included repacking glands, resetting the HP valve, new valve rod fork end made and fitted, lubricator and water pump serviced and regulator valve refaced.

The steering is heavy to turn - we suspect binding in the steering column bearings - which makes manoeuvring in high gear quite exciting at the speeds the engine is only too eager to achieve.

In steam, the engine runs surprisingly well and pulls strongly. Safety valves let off spot on 150psi and close reliably, the injector picks up from 60 to 150psi.

Plenty of potential in this one - a partial strip down over winter to fit boiler cladding and gear guards, along with a repaint, would transform the engine.