Bold As Brass

No, we are not converting our layout to O Gauge, well, not just yet anyway.

I just thought that it would be nice to feature this lovely O Gauge model of a Fowler 4F 0-6-0 locomotive that I currently have in my possession.

It was made by Bachmann Brassworks and has a Catalogue Nº: BW015.

The Brassworks range consists of many, fine, ready to run steam and diesel locomotives in both O Gauge and Gauge 1 and they are available in either a brass finish, as here, or ready painted in a plain base colour, without lining or decals.

Being made of brass these locos are quite heavy, this one weighs in at around 1700g, so it's pulling power is excellent and it runs beautifully too.

The Midland 4F was attributed to Henry Fowler although much of the design work was supervised by the Chief Locomotive Draughtsman, James Anderson. Apparently it was Midland Region policy to build prototypes so that they could prove the design. As such, building of these locos commenced with just two examples in 1911. The testing period was then extended due to the First World War and was followed by a concerted building programme between 1917 and 1922 whereupon, when the Midland Railway became the LMS, there were 192 in service.

The LMS adopted the design as standard in 1924 and by 1941, when the final two were built at Derby, the final total stood at a very impressive 772 locomotives.

Today, just one of the Midland-built 4Fs survives (43924) together with three of the LMS 4Fs (44027, 44123, 44422) with 44422 being, as far as I am aware, the only one that is operational and currently running on the Nene Valley Railway.