The Wagon & Carriage Works
Gauge One Catalogue
Wagon and Carriage Works Homepage
The
Aster Lion
click picture to enlarge
A live steam
Gauge One locomotive from the Aster Hobby Co will be the Liverpool &
Manchester Railway `Lion' 0-4-2 tender locomotive. This locomotive is be
available both as a kit of parts for the owner to assembly or as a factory
built up fully tested model. Standard livery is as Lion is currently preserved.
A `Titfield Thunderbolt' livery version is also available.
Brief Specification
Scale and
gauge: 1/30'" scale for
Gauge One - 45mm / 1.75" track.
Boiler: multi-tube copper 'C type' boiler, silver soldered throughout
- working pressure 50psi.
Boiler controls and fittings: regulator, blower valve, safety valve
and clack valve.
Lubricator: Roscoe displacement type.
Cylinder: single double-acting cylinder (l0mm bore x 20mm stroke) with D
valve driving through 2:1 reduction gear to give 4 beats per revolution. Slip
eccentric reverse.
Tender:
contains alcohol fuel tank and water filler inlet for refilling whilst in
steam.
Minimum
radius: 1 metre. Will
operate on LGB track if required
Approx. dimensions: Length OB 32cm, width 85mm, height 13cm.
Availability: December
2000. Kits and factory built ready to run.
Price: Prices are subject to fluctuation due to currency
exchange rates - We currently have available limited stocks at
Limited Stocks - £995 RTR and £875 Kit - Limited Stocks
also available in the
Titfield Thunderbolt
version
from the 1953 film "Titfield Thunderbolt" starring Stanley Holloway and John Gregson
The Titfield Thunderbolt
1401 appears to be herself but accordingly to apocryphal evidence the second engine (number?) was also re-numbered 1401 to ensure continuity during filming. "Lion" was herself and has a chequered history. She was recovered from the Liverpool Docks in the early 1920's and was restored by the LMS at Crewe to participate in the Centenary celebrations of the Rainhill Trials held in 1925. There was no tender as only a static pile of coals was required while the loco was chocked up and in use as a stationery engine used to supply high pressure steam (for dockside cranes and winches etc). A redundant tender from the former Furness Railway was pressed into service. The riveting on Lion's tender looks like it's from a Sharp Stewart tender - the Furness Railway small 0-6-0s had these and were being withdrawn in the early 20s. (Pity they had to cut it up a bit to make it look right). All this has been detailed at length in various issues of the "Railway. Magazine" and would no doubt be available in the library of the NRM and elsewhere!
READY TO RUN
OR KIT BUILT?
If the instructions supplied with the locomotive are followed and a reasonable
amount of common sense is applied, then a ready to run factory built Aster
`Lion' will work first time out of the box. Careful operation over a
"running-in" period will allow your model to pull a prototypical train for 8-10
minutes on one boiler filling. It should be mentioned that it will be possible
to keep an Aster `Lion' in steam indefinitely if the boiler water is regularly
topped up via the tender filler valve (and the meths and oil recharged from
time to time). A ready to run Aster 'Lion' will give great pleasure and the
satisfaction of owning a superbly designed and built live steam model, which
with care will last a lifetime.
The alternative is to build your Aster
'Lion' from a kit of parts. Building Aster locomotives adds a whole new
dimension to the pleasure of live steam model railways. All the parts will be
fully machined and painted (except boiler cladding and lower firebox cladding)
and will be easily assembled following the detailed instructions and drawings
provided. No previous experience is required but common-sense will be repaid by
a superb running model. Only hand tools are required. The kit builder will need
no soldering, brazing or other fixing techniques. The Aster 'Lion' will be a
good live steam model kit to start with perhaps trying one of the more complex
Aster kits later.
Wagon & Carriage Works and Aster
We are now authorised dealers of Aster live steam and electric models. Although we do not keep many in stock, we can obtain them within 2 to 3 days subject to if the UK agent has stocks - or approx. 28 days if they have to be imported. We always have models on display, however, and are always happy to buy or part exchange them for other goods. The prices quoted may be subject to change due to currency fluctuations. Please note some models may be in short supply. All models are available in kit form or ready to run (RTR).
Specially produced coaches for the Aster "Lion"
To compliment the new Aster live steam model of the Liverpool & Manchester 0-4.-2 locomotive Lion', we have produced four ready to run and fully painted coaches for it to pull. The coaches have resin bodies with metal under-frames, sprung buffers and couplings and detail parts in lost wax and white metal castings. They run on 40mm back to back insulated wheels and are available as 1st Class coaches (in yellow) with the choice of 'Traveler', 'Experience', 'The Lark', 'The Times', Greyhound' and 'Huskisson' as names. The 2nd Class coaches are blue with panels lined m black. Length over the buffers of all vehicles is 180mm.
The mail coaches are in maroon, black and yellow and a suitable guard to sit at the back is available as an extra. The carriage truck, in green with a timber floor, was used for conveyance of both horse-drawn vehicles and general merchandise, the latter usually being covered by a tarpaulin.
Flat Wagon to carry carriages
Ready to run model with wood deck with lost wax and white metal details - metal standard gauge wheels.Price - £120.00 (inc VAT)
Blue Coach - 2nd Class
Ready to run model in resin body with lost wax and white metal details - metal standard gauge wheels. Price - £145.00 (inc VAT)
Yellow Coach - 1st Class
Ready to run model in resin body with lost wax and white metal details - metal standard gauge wheels. Price - £190.00 (inc VAT)
Mail Carriage
Ready to run model in resin body with lost wax and white metal details - metal standard gauge wheels. Price - £190.00 (inc VAT)
