{"product_id":"5-inch-gauge-lswr-d15-4-4-0-stock-code-3236","title":"5 inch gauge LSWR D15 4-4-0","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eRather like the Royal Scots and Merchant Navys, Drummond's D15  for the London \u0026amp; South Western Railway was one of those designs that got  better looking the more it was modified (apologies to Fowler and Bulleid fans).  It started out as a rather odd-looking thing with a very short smokebox with a  small door and a cumbersome looking eight-wheel bogie tender. Successive  rebuilds under, respectively Urie then Maunsell yielded what I think was an  elegant looking 4-4-0, latterly fitted with a longer smokebox and six-wheeled  tender.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eIn his own idiosyncratic way, LBSC had a stab at the design for  2 1\/2 and 3 1\/2 inch gauge, calling it \"Dairymaid\" - the combination  of Urie and Drummond put him in mind of United Dairies, hence Dairymaid. Not an  easy mind to penetrate, LBSC's...\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eI've seen 2 1\/2 inch gauge version, never a 3 1\/2 and, until  now, not a 5 inch gauge. Here is an engine which has been a long time in  gestation - the boiler alone is stamped 1977 - but thirty years on, it finally  looks close to seeing some track. It's a bit grubby at the moment and the  motionwork has been very liberally lathered with the sort of stuff you see  plastered on cross-channel swimmers - very messy, but the well-finished  motionwork beneath has stayed very bright and really only needs a good wash in  paraffin to get it ready for use.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eSilver soldered copper boiler, twin superheaters, working  pressure 80psi, feed by twin crosshead pumps - I would expect it to have at  least one injector fitted when finished. Inside cylinders with slide valves  actuated by Walschaert's valve gear with pole reverser in the cab (or at least  on the footplate, it will be in the cab when one is made).\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eWork to date is to a better than average standard - it pushes  along freely without play in the rods and motion work. Fit and finish of the  valve gear is good.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eI've given the boiler a twice working pressure test at 160psi,  it is very nicely made and, as expected, tight as a drum.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eWork to complete is mainly platework and plumbing on the engine  and a tank for the tender.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eSomewhat of a rarity in any gauge, I don't have anything in the  archive to show you the finished thing - best bet is to check out the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.semg.org.uk\/steam\/d15class_01.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSouthern  Group's excellent website\u003c\/a\u003e which gives the full specification plus some  decent pictures.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Station Road Steam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54020206756181,"sku":"3236","price":2450.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/0094\/2677\/files\/3236-1.webp?v=1779911780","url":"https:\/\/stationroadsteam.com\/products\/5-inch-gauge-lswr-d15-4-4-0-stock-code-3236","provider":"Station Road Steam","version":"1.0","type":"link"}