Here is my favorite miniature railway and my favorite locomotive from that railway. The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch was built in the 1920's and it runs 13 1/2 miles of 15 1/8 gauge track along the southern English coast. The "Northern Chief" was designed by the brilliant Henry Greenly. He took his inspiration from the full size Pacific designs of Sir Nigel Gresley.
"Northern Chief" was built by the Davey Paxman Company in 1925. Her main dimensions are reduced 1/3 while the gauge is 1/4 full size. Her cylinders are 5 1/4" x 8 1/2", driver diameter is 25 1/2", boiler pressure is 180 lbs, grate area is 4.7', loco weight is 5.30 tons, length is 24' and tractive effort is 1405 lbs.
Here she is at Dymchurch, one of seven stations or halts on the railway. And of course, the driver is doing the time honored "oiling around." I must admit, his mauve New York Yankees cap was not quite the same as a true English driver grease cap!
The ride is a thrill! In the low riding coaches the top speed of 25 mph feels like 100! I highly recommend you go.
