5 INCH GAUGE 2-4-0 CALEDONIAN LOCOMOTIVE

A superb example of a rarely-modelled prototype, Connor's 2-4-0 built by Neilson's in 1865 for the Caledonian Railway. Very attractive locomotive and a rare breed,  the design is from  Roy Amesbury of Derby SME. He produced a set of drawings and patterns for his own use - the engine he built is well known, taking a silver medal at the Model Engineer Exhibition followed by a good showing at IMLEC. 

Silver soldered copper boiler, working pressure 80psi.  . Outside cylinders, inside slide valves actuated by Stephenson's reversing gear with Quadrant pole reverser in cab. Cab-operated drain cocks. Odometer under the smoke box showing 189 km , mechanical lubricator, Feed by injector with auxiliary hand pump in tender, manual damper operated from the cab controls

The builder kept  notes of construction and running Log Book, It was completed in 1989. It has been laid up for the last 12 years only steam once or twice with its present owner It has been was hardly used previously by its builder. The Engine was built in 1588 hours, tender additional 400 hours.

The engine comes with a pair of fitted wooden travel boxes and the original builder's logbook and firing tools log book showing all notes of construction . It is a beautiful model credit to the builder great loco to run and display.

Short Brief History.

The Act of 31 July 1845 which established the Company as The Caledonian Railway included the absorption/amalgamation of a number of existing lines. With the other lines incorporated on the same day, all engineered by Joseph Locke, in one gigantic piece of coordinated railway planning, his London to Carlisle line was extended to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Greenock. By 1866 the Scottish Central and the Scottish North Eastern Railways and their constituents had been absorbed by the Caledonian.

The Caledonian main line opened on 10 September 1847 from Carlisle to Beattock and from Beattock to Glasgow and Edinburgh on 15 February 1848. It met the SCR at Greenhill / Castlecary on 7 August 1848.

The Caley was the most Scottish of the pre-grouping companies, reflecting the Saltire flag with its blue locomotives and by its adoption of both the Lion of Scotland and the Royal Arms of Scotland to adorn its locomotives, carriages, buildings, company documents, etc.

The Caledonian absorbed and developed many lines within the coal and iron fields of central Scotland, extended its rail heads to Ardrossan, Wemyss Bay, Gourock, Oban and Ballachulish on the west coast and built Grangemouth docks on the Forth and by 1923 had 1,114 route miles.

The development and operation of the separate and independent Caledonian Steamer Packet Company's fleet of steam ships on the Clyde was as dynamic and colourful as the development of the railway itself and was operated in conjunction with special fast Boat Trains.

Glasgow Central as rebuilt 1900 -1907 was, and is still today, considered to be one of the finest stations in the UK, while Wemyss Bay station and pier was quite special, both in its functionalism and in its simple and compelling design. Many of the humbler stations also had an architectural merit which reflected a company proud of its image and reputation.

With one of the most severely graded mainlines in Britain and an ever increasing train load, the company had a continuing requirement for reliable and powerful locomotives. With Drummond and McIntosh as locomotive superintendents the Caledonian locomotive acquired legendary status.