Kerr Stuart Brazil Class 0-4-2ST

[Tigger]

Not strictly 009 I know but I thought folks might be interested in this standard gauge conversion of the Golden Arrow kit.  This was done by a friend and colleague of mine, Steve Smith, as a scale model of the loco which was used on the Central and Northern lines by London Transport.  They cut the cab down to Tube gauge and fitted the loco with Ward couplers.  Steve has been working on this for a couple of years and I knew he was getting on well when he started asking me about the operation of Hackworth valve gear (he knew I had a 7

[Hugh Norwood]

Stunning!

[invercloy]

That's an interesting loco.

What was the prototype used for? Presumably it had larger cylinders than the NG tattoos to give it more power?

[Isaac W]

So far as I remember... It was bought originally by the 'City and South London Railway' for use on the Morden extension hence the "Tube Stock" loading gauge. After that the recently created 'London Passenger Transport Board' transferred it to the 'Central London Railway' where it worked at the 'White City Depot'.
It would seem to have been a "standard" narrow gauge 'Brazil', just built on a standard gauge underframe, rather than 'cutting down' a standard gauge design to fit the tube tunnels.

[Tigger]

It would seem to have been a "standard" narrow gauge 'Brazil', just built on a standard gauge underframe, rather than 'cutting down' a standard gauge design to fit the tube tunnels.

I think you're right Isaac - so Steve's model follows the prototype exactly!

[Tigger]

Indeed.  It originally had a 'proper' cab!  On the London Underground we have the smallest loading gauge of any standard gauge railway anywhere in the world.  That's the price we pay for being the pioneer.  It is a somewhat sobering thought that an entire tube train will fit inside the main upright tubular supports of the Forth rail bridge!

[Isaac W]

'City and South London Railway'

Just a slight correction 'Brazil' wasn't bought by the CSLR but by its successor the UERL "Underground Electric Railways Company of London Ltd."