I've been a busy chap recently, but sadly not with anything particularly blogable (unless you want the trials and tribulations of setting up a website using Joomla! - no, I didn't think you did) so to keep up my post-a-day schedule, I've been digging back through some old photos that haven't made it on here before.
First up is this shunter found at Ruddington on the Great Central Railway. As far as I can tell, it's an early petrol powered loco. I work this out because the chassis is very similar to this:
A 4mm scale petrol powered shunter I built many years ago from a Branchlines kit. My model is based on the genuine LNER version that just squeaked in to BR days. As I recall, there was also a GWR prototype in the range of 2 kits but I didn't like it as 1) it was Great Western 2) Looked like a shed on wheels.
A quick search on the loco number reveals this from Wikipedia:
Morris (works number 2028) was built at Motor Rail (Simplex) Works in Bedford and started out at Exeley & Sons Ltd in Shropshire from new. In 1935 her petrol engine was replaced by a modern diesel design and she was sold that year to Davy Morris Works in Loughborough, working there until withdrawal in the late 1980s. Arriving at Ruddington in 1990 she was the first motive power on site at the start of the railway's preservation, but was held in store for years at Rushcliffe Halt until restoration was carried out. After visits to other heritage railways she is back in regular service on shunting duties.
So I was right about the petrol burning stuff. Nice to see she's in regular use too. Our model (nicknamed "Titch") certainly is.
4 comments:
Is it just me or do Branchlines not have any up to date web presence?
Sadly, it IS hopeless. Shame, as they are a store that could really work on-line.
FYI Phil the LNER had 2 Simplex locos one originated at the NBR station at Kelso on the Tweed Valley line where it replaced a shunting horse. Later in its career it moved south to join the other GER version in Herts shunting at Ware.
Actually the LNER had three Simplex loco's. The third was ex-Preston Waterworks and worked at West Hartlepool in the sleeper depot. It to managed to survive into BR days.
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