PROTOTYPE QUESTION OF THE MONTH
I worked at Coventry Colliery in the 1960s when we took delivery of three pannier tanks with outside cylinders (‘15XXS’). They came from Swindon in very good condition and worked well. I left the colliery in 1970 and lost track of these locomotives but I did see No. 1501 at the Severn Valley Railway some time ago.
I feel that it should be possible to convert a ‘1366’ or a ‘16XX’ to ‘15XX’ format but I would need to get some basic information to do the job. Any pointers would be welcome.
G. Crowley, March, Cambridgeshire
Richard says: BR sold three ‘15XXS’ – Nos. 1501, 1502 and 1509 – to the NCB in 1961 to work the branch from Coventry Colliery at Keresley to the exchange sidings at Three Spires Junction. All three were sold to the SVR in 1969; No. 1501 was saved and the other two stripped for spares before they were sold to Cashmores for scrap.
The ‘15XX’ has never been offered ready-to-run in any scale but there was a Nu-cast/k’s kit in ‘OO’ gauge. It might be possible to find one second-hand. The former Nu-cast/k’s range is now being gradually reintroduced by new owners South Eastern Finecast (e-mail dave@sefinecast.co.uk) and Branchlines
(sales@branchlines.com) but the ‘15XX’ is not one of the first kits to be made available.
Sadly, it’s not possible to create a ‘15XX’ from either the Collett ‘1366’ nor the Hawksworth ‘16XX’. The closest relation is the Hawksworth ‘94XX’ (coming soon from Bachmann) or it might be possible to use the boiler from a Bachmann ‘2251’.
Either way, it would require a scratchbuilt chassis with outside Walschaerts valve gear and a lot of scratchbuilding/modification to create the unique cab/bunker arrangement.
Hopefully a ready-to-run ‘15XX’ isn’t too far away!