Here we have a 5" gauge London Chatham & Dover Railway Europa Class designed by William Martley in 1873. The model won 1st prize at Harogate show when first built by David Wainwright, a prolific and capable model engineer. David made the loco to the 'Asia' drawings by Les Saxby, and it's a much rarer model than it ought to be for it's elegance and beauty. Whether it's a Europa Class, a Kirtley 0-6-0 or a Stirling Single, nothing looks quite as graceful as an 1870's loco racing along at full tilt! Certainly for me (Simon) the 1870s through to the turn of the century was the sweet spot for the steam locomotive's design evolution, the perfect balance of form and function.
The boiler is the usual silver soldered copper one that of course comes freshly hydraulically and steam tested. There is an injector fitted, an axle pump with footplate mounted bypass valve and of course a hand pump in the tender. Lubrication is mechanical and tucked under the front running boards. It's been a reliable and regular performer, and as such it's cosmetically certainly not still in exhibition condition, but that said it's still perfectly presentable and looks every bit as pretty as Martley intended 150 years ago.
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
Stock Code: L0513409
