G4M26 Great Eastern Railway Class Y65/L.N.E.R. Class P7 2-4-2 tank locomotive kit

THE PROTOTYPE
Just 12 of these diminutive 2-4-2 tank locomotives were constructed for the Great Eastern Railway by S. D. Holden. Intended as replacements for 0-6-0 tanks on light branch duties the class met with little success and the 0-6-0 J65s remained more popular for these duties. Built at the G.E.R. Stratford Works in 1909 and 1910 they had commodious cabs which earned them the nickname of “Crystal Palace Tanks”. Six engines were fitted for auto working. The class was put to work on various branch duties in East Anglia including the Aldeburgh, Buntingford, Maldon and Braintree lines. All 12 engines were taken into L.N.E.R. stock lists in 1923 and under their new owners the class saw service further afield with locomotives being allocated to lines of the old Great Central Railway and to Scotland. Withdrawals commenced in 1931 and with the advent of Nationalisation there were just two survivors to be handed over to British Railways but, although allocated B.R. numbers, the remaining two engines were scrapped in November 1948 before they could be receive their new numbers. For more details see Part 7 of Locomotives of the L.N.E.R. published by the
R.C.T.S.

THE KIT
The third and final engine in the series of Great Eastern Railway 2-4-2 tank locomotive kits. Although none survived to be renumbered by B.R. these very individual locomotives had a charm all their own and would be a pleasing addition to any G.E./L.N.E.R. locomotive stud. The bodywork for the locomotive is supplied as etched brass frets with a piece of specially drawn brass tubing, shaped and machined to length, being supplied for the boiler. The majority of the fittings are lost wax brass castings although a few are white metal castings. The kits also include sprung buffers, sprung pick ups, sprung hornblocks and brake gear. The chassis consists of profile milled brass mainframes and comes complete with the correct pattern wheels from our own ranges. Full assembly instructions together with useful notes are provided in each kit. A Motor and Gearbox is required to complete this kit.

This kit is only available in 4mm Scale