LMS/BR Rebuilt 7P 4-6-0s update 20 December 2016
This project continues to make good progress from the research viewpoint, but we have had to hold it back from getting to the detailed design and production stage as we have taken a delay in the other programmes, especially on the 45XX. The 70XX ‘Castle’ and the GWR tender engines. There is a practical limit to the number of model locomotive programmes that can be managed by a small team on a simultaneous basis and this is quite a complex build. Once we have completed the Great Western locomotive programmes we will have the time and resources to concentrate on the Rebuilt LMS/BR 7P locomotives project.
Our technical panel has already persuaded us to widen the project to include the Rebuilt ‘Jubilees’ and British Legion. A number of customers have also asked us to look at including the original (unrebuilt) ‘Royal Scots’. If we do widen the scope of the project to include these locomotives, our current thinking is to limit it to the late LMS/early BR periods when the locomotives had already switched tender types to the larger Stanier 9 ton/4000 gallon curved sided design. If you are interested in the earlier ‘Royal Scots’ in this configuration, please would you let us know so that we obtain a better feel for demand.
Another odd-ball engine would be the high pressure experimental engine Fury. Is anyone interested in this locomotive? If there was enough demand we might include Fury in the build. Meanwhile we would like to build up the orderbook as much as possible so that we make the locomotives that people really want, based on the programme that we have offered.
So far we have been very encouraged by the response, especially for the Rebuilt ‘Jubilees’ and British Legion, which have proved to be of considerable interest. The LMS/BR Rebuilt 7P locomotives are now planned as a 2018 build.