7 1/4 inch gauge Londonderry No.17 VB 0-4-0

A well-advanced 7 1/4 inch gauge vertical boiler locomotive, based on Londonderry No.17, built by Head, Wrightson & Co. at their Thornaby-on-Tees works in 1873.

Delivered new to  the Londonderry Railway in County Durham where it was used to haul coal from Seaham Harbour, happily No.17 survives to this day preserved at the Beamish Museum, less than 40 miles from where it was built 150 years ago.

The model was built by an experienced engineer, a diversion from his main interest building models of machine tools.

A good deal of research and high quality work has gone into the project so far. It includes:

• silver soldered boiler
• cast wheels with steel tyres
• working leaf springs
• outside motion work
• cylinders, valve chests and valve spindles
• eccentric sheaves
• reverser stand
• finely flanged and riveted water tank, with interesting twin cylinder rotary hand pump
• axle pump

Main work to get to an air running stage includes provision of eccentric straps, rods, expansion links and suitable means of suspension.

There are lots of interesting details on the model, almost certainly reproduced from the original - we liked the beautifully fitted steel T-bolts acting as gland studs.

A worthwhile project - and likely to be unique when finished. Of modest size - it is under two feet long and an easy one man lift, not something you can say of many 7 1/4 inch gauge locomotives!