GWR 2301 CLASS

Keith Wilson had made a career from building in excess of fifty live steam models over a lifetime, and his last works were a pair of Dean’s handsome 0-6-0 goods engine prototypes in 7 ¼ gauge. The models were sadly never finished, being inherited and completed by Keith’s son Alan, who went on to build a number of his own engines. This model arrived without a tender, having been split up when the collection of engines went out for sale. Now reunited, the engine requires some running repairs having seen little track time from new. The original ‘2301 Class’ became the standard goods engine, having been an unusual departure from traditional Swindon design having single, rather than double, plate frames. Of the 258 engines built, only one survives today which is no.2516 on display at the STEAM museum in Swindon.