7 1/4 inch gauge GWR 14XX 0-4-2T

A 7 1/4 inch gauge Great Western 14XX 0-4-2T, the last locomotive built by Louis Raper. It passed to his friend Ken Woodham after his death in 1977, along with the beautiful little Black, Hawthorn saddle tank we currently have in stock - it's remained on display, unsteamed since.

Pictures tell the story on this one - a locomotive built to the highest standards by one of the great names in model engineering. Only words I'll add regard testing the boiler when it arrived:

The engine had last been steamed on completion over forty years ago; Raper died a few months later since when it has been unused. We plugged it up ready for a hydraulic test, noticing the pressure gauge is red-lined at 160psi. Unlikely for a copper boiler - we'd expect it to run at 100psi.

Scratched the collective Station Road Steam heads for a few minutes, when it was recalled that the full-size engines ran at 160psi. Still somewhat puzzled. So we pumped it up to 100psi, at which point the pressure gauge (made by Raper, as with everything else on the engine) read... exactly 160psi.

All in the pursuit of authenticity.

"Wow", as we all said.

We haven't steamed the engine, although can confirm that it runs just the way you'd expect on air.