If you have looked in at the Building Dot pages you will know I am constructing two gauge 1 locomotives from scratch and a few rough castings. But I have always wanted to own an engine that I can drive behind. Many FLS members have been very generous with their engines and I have driven several and enjoyed myself. But there is nothing like having your own. However, my workshop and pocket are both too small to enable me to embark on a 7 1/2" gauge GWR King so I have been looking around for either a second hand engine going cheap that needs some work or a low cost kit.

Well, by a series of serendipitous events I found exactly what I was looking for. Last year in England I made sure to visit Railway Museums and Live Steaming tracks. One such place was the Buckinghamshire Railway Center at Quainton, where in addition to a host of very interesting full sized equipment there is the track of the Vale of Aylesbury Model Engineering Society. It was a steaming day for both full sized and live steam tracks and I was taken with the little steamer that was taking visitors for a ride.

Chatting with the owner after riding behind it round the track I found out it was a kit locomotive made by Maxitrak. Available in 4 stages, to spread the cost, all major machining was done and it only required some fitting, filing, drilling and, of course, painting etc. He also told me of a major model engineering and live steam meet at Guildford the coming weekend at which Maxitrak was probably going to be present and displaying their range of kits. So I took a couple more photos of Opal, (photo 1 and photo 2) and made plans to go to Guildford.

Well this is what I saw there,

While I am an avid (and some may say rabid!) Great Western enthusiast, I have always been fascinated by narrow gauge industrial locomotives. Another reason why I was at Quainton as they have a number of them there. Well, the Maxitrak engines are based on Kerr Stuart, Hunslett and Bagnall designs and so were right up my street. These were the engines on display at Guildford:

• A Bagnall 0-4-0 called Candy. This is the Maxitrak Sapphire kit, based on a fairly standard Bagnall narrow gauge design. This has Walscherts valve gear, although you can get the kit with a simple slip eccentric or hackworth gear.
• Cadbury an 0-4-0 shunter based on engines used on the extensive rail system at Bournville. If you have read my Driving Full Sized Steam page you will know I drove the surviving cadbury tank engine. It is also interesting to note the differences between the original and Maxitrak's model based on general Hunslett design practices.
• Dixie a Kerr Staurt "Wren" class loco. There are several of these locomotives still running at various preserved railways,and the Kew Bridge Steam Museum is building a replica from original Kerr Stuart drawings. They also have a Bagnall like the Maxitrak Sapphire.
  ADDED February 11, 1998 Keith Bucklitch of the Bromsgrove Society of Model Engineers sent me these two pictures of "Pixie", a Wren class loco taken at Swanwick Museum on the Midland Railway Centre, August 1997. Pixie Pixie2.

Well, I got a catalogue from the desk and went home to browse and dream. Back in Jamaica I contacted Andy Probyn, owner of Maxitrak, and pestered him with all sorts of technical questions, which he answered promptly and comprehensively. I asked for, and got an advanced copy of the construction manual so I could see what was involved. Finally I was able to order the first two stages of Pearl, an 0-4-2T loco based on a cross between the Kerr Stuart Wren (which was an 0-4-0) and the Tattoo. The Tattoo was an 0-4-2, looking like a big Wren but with a more rounded saddle tank.

For those of you interested in Kerr, Stuart's locomotives I have put up a page on some Kerr, Stuart information. This has been gleaned from a reprint of a 1924 Kerr, Stuart catalogue that Andy Probyn sent me, and a some other books I have on Industrial and Narrow Gauge railways.

There are at least two full scale Kerr Stuart building programs taking place. The Kew Bridge Steam Museum is building a WREN from plans provided by the Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills. A TATTOO is being rebuilt for the Moseley Industrial Tramway Museum by John Rowlands. John's page is particulary interesting as it shows the locomotive in various stages of re-construction.

I have recently (October 8, 1997) added Tim Sanderson's experiences building and modifying Dixie, the 5" guage version of the Kerr Stuart Wren. Tim has done an excellent job and has made some useful modifications to the locomotive, many of which I plan to do as well.

Another new (April 1, 1998) Maxitrak builder is John Foley of the New Jersey Live Steamers. He is embarking on a similar project, this time a 4 3/4" gauge Sapphire. John has established a web site with notes of his various building projects so you can follow his progress Building Sapphire.

At this date (April 1, 1998) I am close to finishing Pearl. As with the DOT and DIANA pages I described the process as I progressed. As expected, Pearl will be finished long before either of the gauge 1 engines. I never did persuade Andy to accept payment in crates of Red Stripe Beer though!!

If you are interested in Maxitrak's products (they do electric and gas powered locomotives too) give Andy a call. Their address is

3 & 4 Larkstore Park
Lodge Road
Staplehurst
Kent TN12 0QY
Phone/Fax (44 International) 1580 89030

CONTENTS

• Some Kerr, Stuart history
• What you get, Stages 1 and 2
• Building Stage 1
• Building Stage 2
• What you get, Stages 3 and 4
• Building Stage 3
• Starting Stage 4
• Finishing Stage 4
• Test Steaming Added March 20, 2001