G*M31 Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway/LMS Class 7F 2-8-0 Locomotive and Tender

THE PROTOTYPE
The original six locomotives, built at Derby for the Somerset & Dorset Joint railway in 1914 by the Midland railway Co., were the most powerful two-cylinder 2-8-Os in the country at that time. Designed by Sir Henry Fowler they were built with right hand drive and were fitted with the original “small” 4’9” diameter boiler. In 1925 a further five engines were built by Robert Stephenson & Co. with a larger 5’3” diameter boiler and left hand drive. The locomotives were taken into L.M.S. stock in 1930 and all engines survived to receive their British Railways numbers in 1948. They continued to give good service until well into the ‘60s. Two engines, Nos. 53808 and 53809, have been preserved.

THE KITS
With the successful introduction of the kit for the original small boilered locomotive with a Deeley tender a further kit for a reboilered version, again with the small boiler but with a Fowler tender was added. The bodywork for the locomotive and tender 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 in the 4mm kit although a few are white metal, There a slightly more whitemetal castings in the 7mm kit. The kits also include sprung buffers, sprung pickups, sprung homblocks (4mm Version only) and brake gear. The chassis consists of etched nickel silver main and tender frames. Both 4mm and 7mm scale kits come complete with the correct pattern wheels from our own ranges. A complete set of etched brass smokebox number plates for all engines in their S.D.J.R., L.M.S. and BR. days is included. Full assembly instructions and useful notes are provided in each kit.

4mm Scale Kits

4M31 Somerset & Dorset 2-8-0 locomotive (original small boiler version) and Deeley tender kit
4M35 Somerset & Dorset 2-8-0 locomotive (reboilered version with small boiler) and Fowler tender kit

7mm Scale Kits

7M31 Somerset & Dorset 2-8-0 locomotive (original small boiler version) and Deeley tender kit
7M35 Somerset & Dorset 2-8-0 locomotive (reboilered version with small boiler) and Fowler tender kit