Since Bill Hughes first described his Allchin traction engine in 1 1/2 inches to the foot scale in 1957, it has been modelled many times in many scales and famously by Cherry Hill in 3/4in to the foot scale. Others have appeared in 15mm, 2in. 2 1/4in. 3in. and 4 1/2in. and possibly more. Royal Chester, no 3251, was the last traction engine built by Allchin in 1925, intended for the Royal Show at Chester. Actually it never carried the Royal Chester nameplate - that was a Bill Hughes addition.

Bill first saw the engine while out “engine hunting” in North-east Derbyshire in 1948, in the company of two other Allchins nos 1257 and 1407 and Marshall no 69256. Owners, the Earnshaw brothers, let Bill make many visits (cross country walks from Sheffield) to measure 3251 “which took my fancy”. The other three engines were cut up for scrap, as most were in those days, but Bill won the interest of pioneer preservationist, Chris Lambert and he bought her. In those days they went for £25 each! Today six figures!

This super model, shown at Harrogate, is by J Cooke. It is built from scaled-up Hughes drawings, using castings available from Paul Wainwright a while back, and a boiler made by John Ellis. Practically all machining was done on a Myford ML7 and a Dore-Westbury milling machine. Front wheels, flywheel, spud pan and differential centre were turned with the aid of a Rodney Big Turn attachment. Rear wheels were turned on a friend’s large lathe.

The engine was extensively used for 12 years before it was finally painted in 2008. It won the Precision Paints Award for best finished model  at Harrogate in 2011.