Here we have a 5" gauge GWR 14xx manufactured by Kingscale. As we've come to expect from Kingscale, this is a very pretty looking model with loads of nice detailing, the boiler is professionally silver soldered copper and very neatly done. Everything essentially works, so you can just get straight out on track and it'll all do what it was designed to do,..... however,.... (and we know you could sense the 'but' coming),.... the machining tolerances, the general fit of the bushes and valve gear, and indeed certain of the material choices on the bottom end are not quite the same as you'd expect from a new model built by a traditional model engineer. That all said, the smaller slide valve models Kingscale produces lend themselves to their manufacture processes more than the larger piston valve prototypes. A slide valve can accommodate a broader machining tolerance and the smaller valve gear lengths, smaller wheel diameters, lower forces and indeed a general increased simplicity all play to the manufacturer's strengths and result in a great value little model.
There's a crosshead pump fitted with footplate mounted bypass valve and of course a hand pump in the tank. Lubrication is simple displacement type,.... the addition of a simple sight feed regulator in the footplate would be a definite improvement, but again, as it stands it does work and will run and work well enough as it stands.
As with most of our models, what you see isn't necessarily what you get!
We often photograph models pretty much as they come in to us, and then when someone phones to say they are interested we pull the model into our workshops and make sure everything is tested, sorted and ready to go. So if you see the odd model photograph with a fitting missing or a return crank in the wrong place, that's just how it came in and certainly not how it will leave.
For any more information please don't hesitate to give us a bell on 07816 963463
Stock Code: L051296
