{"product_id":"7-14-inch-gauge-midge-stock-code-3490","title":"7 1\/4 inch gauge \"Midge\"","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThis is a 7 1\/4 inch gauge tank locomotive built to George  Gentry's \"Midge\" design, originally published in the 1930s for a  compact, powerful engine suitable for garden railways - it was rated as capable  of pulling 12 passengers and, with a 9 3\/4  inch wheelbase, would negotiate tight curves.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThis engine is somewhat of an enigma, I would very much like to  know more of its history. It currently looks very sorry for itself, it came in  dry and dusty, the brakes seized on, tanks full of cobwebs and obviously not  having been run in many years. Whilst cleaning it up underneath and freeing off  the brakes it became obvious that not only had the thing been beautifully built  in the first place, it appears to have had very little running.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eFit and finish of the motion work is excellent, there is no  detectable wear anywhere throughout the valve gear. The bronze axleboxes are of  split pattern. The grate has a sliding ashpan shutter, with a very neat clip  fitting which engages over the brake shaft when closed. The smokebox has a  similar shutter, allowing the contents to be dumped down underneath, rather than  having to shovel it out from the front, which seems an excellent idea.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eThe boiler is a fully flanged and rivetted copper job, superbly  executed - the double reverse curves on the throatplate are a work of art in  themelves. It appears as-new inside, the grate looks to have had a handful of  steamings.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eAfter freeing off the brakes, cleaning the gauge glasses,  testing the boiler and oiling all round, I steamed the engine in the workshop  yesterday. Bringing a well-built engine back into service after a long layup is  one of my all-time favourite jobs, as the pressure starts to build the burning  dust smell gives way to hot oil and the whole thing seems to come back to life.  Somewhat to my amazement, after two or three turns of the wheels to clear  condensate from the cylinders, it instantly settled down to a steady tickover  with near inaudible, dead square exhaust beats. Even the pump picked up straight  away and, for the next hour, easily kept the boiler topped up.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eI think that the engine probably dates from around the time of  the original design, certainly pre-war. The paintwork, which is now very thin  and faded, was originally a well-lined red coach paint - it still shows a true  colour with some lining on the wheels. The boiler appears never to have been  clad nor an outer dome fitted.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eIt was a toss-up with this one whether to list here as a  restoration project or, despite its look, on the \"Locomotives\" page  (which is probably where it really belongs). There are one or two minor jobs to  do - the presure gauge didn't work due to a blocked syphon (although Geoff is on  the case in the workshop, by the time you read this it will probably be sorted -  \u003cfont color=\"#FF0000\"\u003eWednesday evening, fixed\u003c\/font\u003e),  the mechanical lubricator linkage slips and requires either repinning or silver  soldering. Other than that it is a finely made engine, particularly free  steaming, which runs very well  indeed.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Sdtdge6ijiE\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eThere's  a video of our escapades with it yesterday here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cfont color=\"#FF0000\"\u003eSaturday update: I was intrigued to know how it would go on a real  railway, so after a morning's gentle fettling and a boiler test, it was fit for running down  the club. Sam and I took it over yesterday and had a most enjoyable afternoon -  it goes particularly well. \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JIDcQ6B0uOU\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e  There's a clip of us running\u003c\/a\u003e, we even persuaded Martin to give up welding  pointwork for half an hour and come and have a play (and no, his enthusiatic  comments on the video were neither rehearsed nor remunerated!).\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp align=\"center\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Station Road Steam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54020215996757,"sku":"3490","price":3650.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/0094\/2677\/files\/3490-1.webp?v=1779911881","url":"https:\/\/stationroadsteam.com\/products\/7-14-inch-gauge-midge-stock-code-3490","provider":"Station Road Steam","version":"1.0","type":"link"}