7 1/4 inch gauge 0-6-0ST

A 7 1/4 inch gauge 0-6-0ST locomotive; well-proportioned, it looks to be of freelance design, but with something of a Hawthorn Leslie look to it.

An older engine, this one has come to us recently as part of a large "barn find" collection. If anybody knows who built it and when, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

It has a vintage feel to the build, with generous bearing surfaces, wide slide bars and big oil pots - built at a time when reliability of operation was of more concern than fine scale detailing.

The engine runs well on air in either direction. On hydraulic test at 220psi, the steel boiler appeared structurally sound, with minor weeps from the expanded copper tubes which we suspect could be taken up with an expander.

With no drawings or previous history, the boiler will need to be lifted from the frames and stripped for thorough examination, calculation of a safe working pressure and hydraulic test before use.