From the MEWS archive, this 5” gauge BR class 4 tank loco was built by Ken Dickson and shown at a Model Engineer Exhibition. Nine years earlier he found himself in a newsagents where he discovered Engineering in Miniature magazine and saw an advert from Doug Hewson for a set of 14 drawings for a steam locomotive. His partner said:”You have a lot of models to choose from” to which he replied “the 14 sheets are one model.”

Ken started work on the loco and joined the Canterbury & District MES, one of whose members thought it a very complex model for a first project. The workshop was kitted out with a lathe, milling machine, rotary table, band saw, sheet metal folder, etc, etc.

Castings were only used for the wheels, cylinders and some gunmetal parts. The rest was fabricated.

Ken reported that he had enjoyed constructing the model but didn’t know the first thing about the working details of a loco “and have been picking it up as I go along.

“I have made a few mistakes but after about nine years it is nearly finished.

“At the age of 87 it has kept my brain box active.”