Locomotive of the Month

Here are some photos sent in by Sam Sparkes. Sam says. . .

I had been looking for a secondhand Sgt. Murphy for quite a few years. I located Stewart Browne's telephone number, as he advertises “special commissions”, and asked him if he might be prepared to build another Murphy to more or less the original specifications. “No problem,” he says, “that ‘ll be about 4 weeks delivery.”

So here are the pics. A brand new, 2004 Sgt. Murphy. Stewart tells me this is the first Sgt. Murphy he has built for about four years. Its good to know you can still get one.

Changes from the original specs include folded-steel tanks as opposed to the aluminum block tanks and the paint finish is now “Trimite” Black as opposed to the original stove enamelling. This particular engine has a few extras, as new from Archangel; i.e., feed valve, pressure gauge, and steam whistle. The regulator has also changed to a cab-control regulator, which has proved very controllable, as opposed to the original tiny knurled control knob. Performance is as per the original -- very docile and smooth. But believe me, she can put her back into it when required.

This new “tight” engine can already put out run times of over 50 minutes on one fill of water with three quite heavy bogie coaches on the drawbar. It still requires meths at 18 minute intervals though.



		. Sam Sparkes' Sgt. Murphy (Close this window to go back.) .

.

	. Here are some photos sent in by Sam Sparkes. Sam says. . . I had been looking for a secondhand Sgt. Murphy for quite a few years. I located Stewart Browne's telephone number, as he advertises “special commissions”, and asked him if he might be prepared to build another Murphy to more or less the original specifications. “No problem,” he says, “that ‘ll be about 4 weeks delivery.” So here are the pics. A brand new, 2004 Sgt. Murphy. Stewart tells me this is the first Sgt. Murphy he has built for about four years. Its good to know you can still get one. Changes from the original specs include folded-steel tanks as opposed to the aluminum block tanks and the paint finish is now “Trimite” Black as opposed to the original stove enamelling. This particular engine has a few extras, as new from Archangel; i.e., feed valve, pressure gauge, and steam whistle. The regulator has also changed to a cab-control regulator, which has proved very controllable, as opposed to the original tiny knurled control knob. Performance is as per the original -- very docile and smooth. But believe me, she can put her back into it when required. This new “tight” engine can already put out run times of over 50 minutes on one fill of water with three quite heavy bogie coaches on the drawbar. It still requires meths at 18 minute intervals though.