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Locomotive: Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ‘A’ 0-6-0 Gauge: ‘OO’ Proposed by: P.J. Boyde, Cheshire

What is it?

Between 1889 and 1918, the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway built 468 of these 0-6-0s to J.F. Aspinall’s design. The boiler was pressed to a rating of 180lb/sq in and the 18in by 26in cylinders were linked to 5ft 1in diameter driving wheels by Joy valve gear to produce a tractive effort of 21,170lb. Originally classified ‘A’, they were later reclassified ‘27’. A simple yet efficient design, the last was not withdrawn until 1962. That’s the factual stuff dealt with. I had the pleasure of spending a day behind No. 1300 at the East Lancashire Railway a few years ago. As BR No. 52322, this beautiful black locomotive hauled the rake of coaches I was in with ease. It ran like the metaphorical sewing machine and seemed to have ample power to spare. To my mind, this locomotive is special and a timeless beauty.

What would make it viable?

Humble goods designs have become the ‘in’ thing in ‘OO’ gauge recently, with the most recent announcements being Hornby’s ‘J36’ and the Rails of Sheffield/bachmann ‘812’. Bachmann has had great success with another Lancashire & Yorkshire design – the Aspinall 2-4-2T – so it would be in prime position to do the ‘A’. Not only is the ‘A’ a comparatively simple locomotive, you have a choice of three classic liveries: LYR black with its handsome double red lining, plain LMS black and, of course, BR black. As well as producing the ‘27’, a manufacturer could, for a bit of variation, also produce the ‘28’ class. They were designed by George Hughes and were the larger cousins of the ‘27s’, with Belpaire fireboxes, superheating, a slightly longer frame and larger cylinders. The LYR built 20 new ones and created 63 by rebuilding ‘27s’.

Can I see a real one?

The sole survivor is No. 1300, owned by Andy Booth. Its time is shared between the Ribble Steam Railway and the East Lancashire Railway, and it often visits other preserved railways too.

Have your say Do you agree with P.J. Boyde’s argument? Go to www.facebook.com/modelrail or www. twitter.com/modelrailuk and post your verdict.

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