A well-built example of a rarely modelled prototype, a Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0 industrial saddle tank in 7 1/4 inch gauge. The engine is well detailed and robustly built with substantially proportioned valve gear and large bearing surfaces.

Silver-soldered copper boiler with superheaters, 90psi working pressure, feed by twin injectors with an auxiliary handpump in the rear bunker - injectors are set up to be fed from a tank on a driving truck and work very effectively. There is a vestigial eccentric sheave on the rear axle for a pump, long since removed. More recently a crosshead pump has been removed (because it looked horrible, but we've saved the bits).

Cast iron cylinders with slide valves actuated by Stephenson's gear with pole reverser in cab. Mechanical lubricator on running board, with sight feed in cab - works very well, reassuring and entertaining at the same time watching blobs of oil float by while you're driving. The rear axle has a cover fitted over the top to stop grit and ash falling into the axleboxes, which are lubricated from the two pockets mounted on the cab front beneath the saddle tank.

The engine was built in the 1980s, although has spent the last twelve years on display in an upstairs room (and Geoff is never going to let me forget carrying it down two flights of stairs together). It's had a twice pressure hydraulic test in the last week followed by a steam test, it now has a complete, up to date set of documentation in addition to it's original club paperwork.

Complete with a length of ballasted display track.

Length 43 inches

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