More Motive Power

Yeah, another new loco. I had no intention of buying another one, but this old Triang-Hornby M7 in decent condition turned up on eBay at a price I liked. I've long wanted one, but they often go for silly prices and the only ones I've seen at reasonable prices have either been very tatty examples, or in the wrong (for me) livery, (or both). 

This one is in BR livery with the later totem on the side, making it right for my layout's period and location.  Incredibly, it still has its original box and plastic tray.  The 'Triang-Hornby' logo on the box indicates it was made c1965 to c1971 - before that it would simply have read 'Triang', after that it would have been 'Hornby', (although I'm pretty sure it vanished from the catalogue around this time, reappearing much later, before being replaced by an all-new version).

As noted, this one is in pretty good condition, with only some wear to the BR totem on the left tank side and a not-too-subtle repair to the front buffer beam and frame.  These are both issues that can easily be rectified.  It is also a very good runner.  As was common in the sixties, Triang built some 'novelty' features into the model - in the M7's case an opening smokebox door and a red 'firebox glow' in the cab.  Both features still work on this one.  

The real M7's were extremely long lived, having first appeared in London and South Western Railway (LSWR) service, before passing to the newly formed Southern Railway in 1923 and soldiering on into the sixties under British Railways.  They were pretty much ubiquitous across the Southern Region's Western Division.  

Here's the model on the layout, with a goods train: 

A nice model, very typical of its age, the M7 completes my 'collection' of Triang's sixties produced ex-Southern Railway locos - I already have an L1 4-4-0 and a 'Battle of Britain', (although the latter is built from parts, all Triang, except the tender which is from the later Hornby production run from the same tools).  Anyway, I've resolved that this positively has to be last loco I buy for a while, as I have so many loco projects currently unfinished.  I really have to move some of these to completion, probably starting with the aforementioned L1, which I bought in a poor state, but is now only awaiting the application of its lining transfers.  Fingers crossed that I can motivate myself to complete that soon...