'CAULIFLOWER' Class, No 1244
What useful engines these were! I remember being pulled by one from Keswick to Penrith in 1951 after a school Youth Hostelling trip to the Lake District!
The model is built from the old GEM kit. These were produced by George E. Mellor of Rhos-on-Sea (hence GEM) in the 1960s. They were good for their day and, unlike other kit manufacturers at that time, he produced kits for several LNWR locos. One of his locos, pulling a train of P.C. coaches, was as good as it got in the days before etched kits appeared.
The kit is pretty basic and I have added quite a lot of extra detail to it. GEM either used proprietary chassis with their kits or provided ones cast in white metal. I chose not to use the GEM offering and, instead, used the etched nickel silver chassis available from London Road Models. An LH21 motor drives the rear axle, the middle axle is sprung and the front axle is rigid in the frames.
One good thing about cast white metal locos is that you do not have to add extra weight to them. This loco weighs 165grms and exerts a pull of 35grms.
The 'Cauliflower'
The chassis of the 'Cauli'