Present your case

If there’s a locomotive that you think needs to be offered ready-to-run, here’s the place to voice your opinion…

Locomotive: Ex-crosti ‘9F’ 2-10-0 Gauge: ‘OO’ Proposed by: Paul Otway, by email What is it?

Just imagine if the Crosti-boilered ‘9Fs’ had actually worked. BR might have developed a whole range of locomotives with the curious water pre-heater barrel and side-exit exhaust that might have helped steam compete with diesel or electric power… sadly, it wasn’t to be. The expensive, complex equipment didn’t offer the savings its inventors claimed and BR decided to rebuild the class with conventional boilers.

Authorisation was given in 1959 but it took until 1962 before all ten – Nos. 92020-92029 – had been rebuilt. Though the boilers might be conventional, they retained their somewhat ugly smokeboxes and the cabside handrails, while a gap in the running plate where the side chimney used to be was covered by a hefty blanking plate. Transferred to the North West, the rebuilt Crosti ‘9Fs’ put in several more years work, although they were only rated ‘8F’ compared to their classmates. They lasted until almost the end of steam, with the last being withdrawn in November 1967.

What would make it viable?

Hornby has already produced a Crosti ‘9F’ as part of its Railroad range, but because it’s a Railroad model it’s not as finely detailed as the main range models or those produced by other manufacturers. The rebuilt Crostis do have their place in railway history, so that surely leaves a gap for someone to reproduce them to a high standard?

The rebuilt locomotives were all fairly standard with very few differences between them, which would help keep costs down. And though they only appeared in BR black with the late emblem, the locomotive’s striking lines would fill a gap in the ranks of ready-to-run BR Standards in ‘OO’ gauge.

Can I see a real one?

No. 92028 was the first to be withdrawn in 1966 and the final seven were condemned from Birkenhead in November 1967. Unlike their conventional sisters, of which nine survive, all the rebuilt Crostis were scrapped.