(apologies for the low resolution photos, we will fix that on Monday!)
Here we have a rather lovely 3 1/2" gauge 'Port' class quarry Hunslet to the 'Lilla' design by Ross Harrison and built in this case by W. Unsworth, an experienced and clearly capable model engineer. Not one of the much more common, Martin Evans' designed 'Conway' models which is actually a freelance design. 'Lilla' works out at quite a large model in 3 1/2", as big as your average 5" gauge Butch, Chub, Ajax. It's also a satisfyingly prototypically accurate model.
Lubrication is provided by the large displacement reservoir under the footplate and there is a regulatable sight feed in the cab for each cylinder. Draincocks are footplate operated, and there is an injector, an axle pump and footplate mounted bypass,..... and the ubiquitous emergency hand pump sneaked away tidily in the dummy coal bunker inside the cab.
She is superheated, and there's lots of lovely little details and touches. The silver soldered copper boiler comes of course with a fresh hydraulic test as well as fresh steam tests so it's all commissioned and ready to run.
As a point of interest, the original 3 Port class locomotives were named Lilian, Gwynedd and Winifred.
As with most of our models, what you see isn't necessarily what you get!
We often photograph models pretty much as they come in to us, and then when someone phones to say they are interested we pull the model into our workshops and make sure everything is tested, sorted and ready to go. So if you see the odd model photograph with a fitting missing or a return crank in the wrong place, that's just how it came in and certainly not how it will leave.
For any more information please don't hesitate to give us a bell on 07816 963463
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