5 inch gauge Stirling 8 foot Single

A 5 inch gauge Stirling 8 foot single, Patrick Stirling's supremely elegant design for the Great Northern Railway, a successful class of express locomotives built over a twenty-five year period in the latter part of the nineteenth century.

They played a key role in the "Race to the North" series of runs which took place over the summers of 1895/96, pitting the Great Northern against their rivals on the west coast, the London and North Western, Stirling's Singles against Webb's Precedent 2-4-0s.

Withdrawal of the Singles started in 1899, as Ivatt's Atlantics - first in small boiler form, latterly his seminal large-boiler design - took over the express services. The first of the class, No.1, happily remains with us in preservation, part of the National Collection. Although unsteamed in the last forty years (the clip below - recommended viewing if you've not seen it before - showing it running in the 1980s at the Great Central Railway), it remains in running order, to our eyes the best-looking locomotive at the NRM by a mile!

A well made model, this one has come to us as the sole 5 inch gauge representative in a small collection of mainly 3 1/2 inch gauge locomotives.

Fit and finish of machined parts is good, nicely detailed with locknuts fitted on the gland studs and castellated nuts on the crosshead pins. The platework is neatly formed and fitted, paintwork was done to a good standard and remains in bright condition.

The boiler has had a twice working pressure hydraulic test, followed by steam test with new certification issued - it's in good condition, holding pressure particularly well on test with negligible leakage from fittings.

Commissioning work preparatory for running included servicing the pumps and fitting a new grate.

On test the engine steamed freely and ran very well. Boiler feed is by axle and hand pumps which worked reliably, the safety valve proved effective in operation.

Supplied with 12 months warranty and a starter kit including coal, oil and a set of firing irons. If required we would be more than happy to include half a day's training at our works on the firing, driving and disposal of the engine for a new owner.