Garden Railway Forum

Hi guys, after a while of inconsistent interest in the live steam part of my hobbies, I got the bug again when I got the opportunity to buy this 30 yr old locomotive.
It was last run about 25 years ago, this 3.5 “ gauge coal fired loco has been sitting covered in a garage until now when it was offered for sale due to ill health. I am not sure of the precise model but it does resemble the models made from Poly Engineering UK, It would be great If any experts can help identify it for me as It looks too fine in detail to be search built.
Judging from its size ( 100cm x 45cm x 30 cm) and weighing over 75 kilograms , it is the same size as most 5” gauges but surprisingly its 3.5” wheel base , that makes me believe its narrow gauge , is that correct?


A few hours servicing , I have fixed a couple of minor problems like a leaking steam oil line, weeping whistle valve, pinhole in manometer tube .. generally all just small stuff. The injectors are cuddly and I can’t get one of them to work but I will soon built a tender with an electric pump and external tank to replenish the boiler on the go.

There is a club only 17 mins drive from me that have lots of laid track so I will just be running it there for now as I don’t have the time (and dedication) to build another garden line.
Here she is for now. Any help as to identify her will be greatly appreciated.

https://youtu.be/S-PmreFlAF8

Possibly published in Model Engineering magazine a long time ago?

Like I've said in my comment on Youtube it is probably based on Don Young's Mountaineer.
Series of articles started in Model Engineer Vol 139, No 3467, June 1973
Here is the GA from the first part:

bambuko wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 9:43 pm Like I've said in my comment on Youtube it is probably based on Don Young's Mountaineer.
Series of articles started in Model Engineer Vol 139, No 3467, June 1973
Here is the GA from the first part:

mountaneer.png

Thanks , Nice that we can meet again here and communicate directly. I can see a lot of similarities in both models as you correctly point out , just the cab sides, water tanks and the boiler layout is a bit different in mine. Could it be that the engineer made this modifications himself?

I have just ordered that particular edition from eBay.

Mountainer was one of the 100 locos ordered by British War Department for service in France during 1st World War, to be built in USA by ALCO.
I see no reason why a competent model engineer couldn't customise the appearance and details to suit his ideas, but using sound basic design available in ME articles

You have a point there.

BTW you are indeed correct when you say it is narrow gauge loco.
Prototype runs here:
https://www.ffestiniograilway.org.uk/ga ... ountaineer

bambuko wrote: ↑Wed May 13, 2020 10:56 pm BTW you are indeed correct when you say it is narrow gauge loco.
Prototype runs here:
https://www.ffestiniograilway.org.uk/ga ... ountaineer

Thanks for the link