5 inch gauge Rebuilt Scot No.46100 "Royal Scot" 4-6-0

A 5 inch gauge rebuilt Royal Scot in BR livery - we bought this one in 2014 from the owner's family along with several other good locomotives - there's a listing in the archive here.

The owner had one of the most picturesque garden railways we've seen; beautifully laid, with fabulous views out across a valley at the end of his estate. An extensive layout, fully signalled, with an impressive motive power depot and over one hundred finely detailed private owner wagons housed in a purpose built shed.

Along with a Black 5, the Royal Scot remained in the workshop at the end, part dismantled although with the heavily ballasted three cylinder chassis still complete - it ran beautifully on air.

We sold it at the time to an experienced engineer, a man with interests in both model engineering and vintage cars (and a beautifully equipped workshop to look after both). As is the way of such things, the Royal Scot kept getting pushed to the back of the job list until now, twelve years later, it's come back to us in pretty much the same condition we sold it last time.

It still runs very well - pictures and video were taken in recent days. The boiler has had a hydraulic test - it appears nicely made and structurally sound, although with a persistent weep from the firehole door ring which will require repair. Whilst the leak is in an accessible location, it will require the boiler lifting to clean before soldering.

A typically handsome design from the hand of Stanier - for some reason 90% of the Royal Scots we get in are to the original Fowler, parallel boiler design which, whilst quite attractive in its own right, for us has nothing of the elan of the rebuilds!

A worthwhile project, it will make fine-looking engine when recommissioned.