LNWR/LMS/BR Watford Tank

 

These locomotives, a tank version of the Cauliflower, were designed by F W Webb and introduced in 1898. They had all the latest Webb refinements of the time, steel buffer beams, fluted coupling rods, metal brake blocks and were fitted with carriage heating equipment.

They were the first LNWR tank locos to be fitted with coal rails, starting in 1902. The first 70 of the class were fitted with piston valves, the remaining 10 having slide valves when built. The piston valves were progressively converted to slide valves, the whole class having been modified by 1920. The locos weighed 50 tons in working order and were the largest LNWR tank locomotives until the introduction of Whales 4-4-2T Precursor Tank engines.

They were introduced primarily to haul the 50' suburban coaches introduced on the Euston to Watford service. They were also used extensively on the Birmingham-Walsall and Manchester-Buxton services. All of them passed into LMS ownership, with 16 lasting into British Rail days. However, by then they were dispersed all over the network, none further south than Birmingham.

The kit is finely etched in nickel-silver for both loco body and chassis, which makes for easier soldering and painting. The chassis is supplied for rigid assembly to suit the majority of modellers but is also designed to be easily sprung/compensated. The body is of tab and slot design for easy location of all the major parts. The boiler is supplied ready rolled in nickel-silver. The smaller detail parts are cast in brass, with boiler fittings in whitemetal or cast brass. The kit comes complete with sprung buffers and comprehensive instructions.

Because of the straightforward nature of the prototype and the simplicity of design of the kit it is an ideal model for a first attempt at building an etched locomotive kit, as well as providing an accurate and detailed model.

You can download a pdf version (which requires Adobe Acrobat to be read) of the instructions for this kit by clicking here

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