Here we have a brand new 5" gauge London Tilbury & Southend Railway Whitelegg 4-4-2 tank 'Gravesend'. We'd be pretty confident in declaring it to be unique had we not sold it and it's twin a few years ago! However, we are pretty sure that you'll not bump into another. The product of a well respected and prolific model engineer. He's built a great many models over the years and often builds in pairs. This loco has only ever been test steamed once, just to ensure that everything works as it should. Essentially it's a brand new loco and has been on display since we sold it to it's previous owner about 4 years ago.
The models are essentially made to Kelvin Moonie's Adams radial tank drawings, with cosmetic alterations to push them toward the fractionally earlier LT&SR design. This is actually not too far away from the truth. History lesson time. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin! William Adams was the CME for the Great Eastern railway until 1878 when he moved to the LSWR. Throughout the 1870s, the LT&SR services were being contracted out to the GER under Adams. In 1879 they appointed Thomas Whitelegg to become the first CME of the newly independently operating LT&SR, and he moved from the drawing office of none other than the GER, having worked for the last few years under Adams. In under 6 months Sharp Stewart had delivered the first batch of 4-4-2 tanks. 2 years later Adams delivered his remarkably similar 415 class 4-4-2 radial tanks for the LSWR . You be the judge! In actual fact, you don't have to be the judge, as documentary evidence exists to show that the design was essentially Adams's from his GER time. Whitelegg undoubtedly put his own stamp on it, as did Adams when he finally produced it for the LSWR in 1882, but certainly the use of an Adams radial as the basis for these models is appropriate, and has produced a pretty convincing pair.
The photos speak for themselves, but in brief, brand new certificated professional Swindon boiler, twin injectors, axle pump with footplate mounted bypass valve and a hand pump on the footplate too. mechanical lubricator hidden in the front sand box, footplate operated drain cocks,..... everything you could wish for. The lining is all done very competently by hand, and it's all nicely new, fresh and ready to play.
Here's a few pics of the full size loco so you can see what it's a model of! 🙂
For any more information please don't hesitate to give us a bell on 07816 96346
Sorry It's Sold!
