{"product_id":"5-inch-gauge-southwold-no-1-stock-code-3180","title":"5 inch gauge Southwold No.1","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThe Southwold Railway was one of those proper \"Titfield  Thunderbolt\" lines, formed with much local support from the residents of  Southwold when the East Suffolk Railway, later to become the Great Eastern,  bypassed them by a few miles leaving the townsfolk dependent upon a horse-drawn  bus to get to their nearest station at Darsham.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eHaving settled on three foot for the gauge, raising money to build the line  took some years, the railway finally opening in 1879. Nine miles long and  restricted to 16mph throughout its length, it never offered much by way of an  express service. The first engine, a 2-4-0 was built by Sharp Stewart and called  \"Southwold\". Returned to the makers, it was replaced some years later  with a 2-4-2 carrying the same name, to be joined by \"Halesworth\" and  \"Blyth\", built to the same design, along with a Manning Wardle which arrived just before the Great War.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThe Southwold didn't enjoy the best of reputations for  reliability or punctuality, but did manage to return a profit until, by 1929,  the directors had seen the future arriving in the form of motor buses and, with great  prescience, shut the line down rather than suffer a long, lingering end. Two  wagons were saved, the remainder of the locomotives and stock were all cut up in  1941.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThis engine, complete with a pair of wagons, is the work of a  prolific engineer, maker of many fine stationary engines, locomotives, traction  engines and clocks - reponsible, amongst many other things, for the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/stock%20pages\/3166\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eSimpson  \u0026amp; Shipton's short stroke engine\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/stock%20pages\/3165\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAllchin\u003c\/a\u003e  I have had in recently.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eSilver soldered copper boiler, working pressure 90psi, twin  Ramsbottom safety valves, feed by axle pump with auxiliary hand pump fitted in  the rear bunker. Gunmetal cylinders with slide valves actuated by Stephenson's  valve gear with pole reverser in cab, displacement lubricator behind front  buffer beam.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThere are two wagons with the engine. The first is a model  of one of the two four-wheeled box vans which ran on the line, the other a  beautifully-built six wheeled three plank wagon, unusual at the time not only  for being the only private owner wagons on the narrow gauge in England but also  because they featured an articulated wheel arrangement - the centre axle slides,  turning the other axles by means of beams. Superbly made, painted and sign  written, the six wheel wagon took an award in its own right at an exhibition.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eLength\u003cbr\u003e  Locomotive 34 inches\u003cbr\u003e  Six wheel wagon 36 inches\u003cbr\u003e  Box van 24 inches\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Station Road Steam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54019654975829,"sku":"3180","price":3000.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/0094\/2677\/files\/3180-1.webp?v=1779905837","url":"https:\/\/stationroadsteam.com\/products\/5-inch-gauge-southwold-no-1-stock-code-3180","provider":"Station Road Steam","version":"1.0","type":"link"}