{"product_id":"7-14-ger-freelance-0-4-2-tender-engine-stock-code-2399","title":"7 1\/4 GER freelance 0-4-2 tender engine","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eAnother victim of Mrs P's vicious campaign to rationalise my  toys, she spotted this one lurking behind a rather good GWR King on the racks. I bought it last year because it appealed to me - it  looks like somebody has built a 7 1\/4 inch gauge engine using only a  Bassett-Lowke tinplate catalogue for reference - and had rather vague  ideas of using it for \"specials\" on the new railway here, redolent of  the old sepia pictures you see of 1930s summers with little boys in felt hats  and cricket jumpers driving ancient engines round long-forgotten garden  railways.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eSo much for the romance, the boss has decided to get the stock  of 7 1\/4 gauge engines into single figures this year so this one has to  go. Possibly.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eI know little of its history. Lots of things look ancient about  it - nutted and calked boiler, smokebox superheater, signwritten buffer beams,  ancient cylinder lubrication, overscale plumbing with huge injector amongst  others. Other parts suggest a more recent overhaul including newish paintwork. The thing was substantially built and  well-made, with working leaf springs and crisply done motion work. I've scoured  \"Model Engineer\" and talked to a number of knowledgeable sources but  so far no more information. If somebody does recognise it, let me know  (particularly if it's some terribly exciting information which makes it  irreplaceable and, thus, assured of a permanent place in the collection...)\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eTurns over freely, rather dusty and cobwebby and the grate's  missing. Other than that, it appears complete although unused in many years.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cfont color=\"#FF0000\"\u003e20 August\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cfont color=\"#FF0000\"\u003eAt last, some diligent soul has found out  a little more about this engine! I had already looked through (amongst many,  many other tomes) Greenly's \"Model Steam Locomotives\" to no avail.  Mine's a 1929 edition, in the 1948 edition there are several additions,  including this picture of a rather familiar looking engine. So now we know the  maker and that it was interesting enough for Harris to turn his camera on (and, indeed,  make it to Greenly's book when reprinted). Still don't know  the exact age, although obviously no later than 1948.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cfont color=\"#FF0000\"\u003eMy thanks to Richard for the information  and the trouble he took to scan his copy of Greenly for me.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"old%20picture.htm\"\u003e\u003cimg border=\"0\" src=\"..\/..\/images\/2399-tn.jpg\" width=\"450\" height=\"293\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  Scan courtesy R.Roebuck\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eLength\u003cbr\u003e  Locomotive 44 inches\u003cbr\u003e  Tender 29 inches\u003cbr\u003e  Weight approx 3 cwt\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Station Road Steam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54019751739733,"sku":"2399","price":4650.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/0094\/2677\/files\/2399-1.webp?v=1779906849","url":"https:\/\/stationroadsteam.com\/products\/7-14-ger-freelance-0-4-2-tender-engine-stock-code-2399","provider":"Station Road Steam","version":"1.0","type":"link"}