Leader

 

Random Friday Photo time - after sticking a chain cover on to the somewhat battered KR Models "Leader" EP sample, I took a quick shot of it on the DHAPR works layout. 

I've always been fascinated by Leader. An ugly and ultimatly unsuccesful experiment, it's one great big "What if" for railway enthusiasts to argue over. What if they had used oil or pulverised coal firing to avoid the fireman's sweatbox? What if a few less innovative bits of enginering had been used? Could this big beast have spawned a class? 

As it was, only the first ever ran, although I once met someone at a Saturday show social who swore that the second loco did take to the rails. It was almost ready to go, so maybe he was right...