A Recent Purchase

Back with the model railways - it's been a while since I posted anything on the subject here.  I bought this loco a couple of days ago at the local toy and train fair.  I'd actually intended to try and buy a completely different locomotive that one of the dealers had had for months, with no apparent interest, (it needed some repairs).  But, as is always the case, when I got there, I found that somebody had already bought it.  So, wandering around the other traders' stalls, I spotted this 4MT tank engine being offered at a very reasonable price.  After making three passes at the stall, looking at various stuff, I decided to buy it.  I think I surprised the trader as I've never bought anything so expensive from him - I'm usually found rummaging through his bargain bin, buying tired old wagons for a couple of quid, for future refurbishment.

Interestingly, it was described as being the Wrenn version of this model, but closer examination showed it to be the older Hornby Dublo version.  The confusion, I think, comes from the fact that the Dublo version was always finished in the correct black livery, while this one is green, an incorrect livery that Wrenn put it out in for a couple of years.  Nonetheless, not onl;y is the chassis marked 'Hornby Dublo', but the body has the tell-tale hole in the back of the bunker, which allowed an adjusting screw on the motor to be accessed without removing the body.  Moreover, the couplers are not just the Dublo type, but are riveted in place, (the Wrenn version came with Tri-ang style couplers as standard, with the option of replacing them with Dublo couplers, which were fastened with screws).  It's clear that the body has been repainted at some point by a previous owner, to imitate the same real-life locomotive which, in preservation, has been painted in this livery, which had been modelled by Wrenn.

My initial interest in the locomotive was based around the possibility of using it as a donor locomotive to provide parts to get another one I already own to run properly.  But, it turns out to be an excellent runner, so it will now simply join my existing roster of locomotives.  As for the one it was meant to provide spares to, well, I've managed to coax some life out of it and it looks like I might be able to get it running again without too much trouble.  Which means that I now have two BR Standard Class 4MT tank engines, (one Wrenn, one Hornby Dublo), which isn't a problem as, in reality, there were quite a lot of them operating on the Southern Region in the sixties, (which is what I model).  The latest acquisition will need its couplings changed to the Tri-ang type and it is, of course, in the wrong livery.  But you know something?  I can live with the wrong livery.  Besides, I really can't face repainting and re-lining yet another locomotive - I've a whole queue of them awaiting either painting, lining or both at the moment.