Commission: Hudson Hunslet from Maenofferen...

The final final Hudson Hunslet is at long last ready to head to it’s new home in Bala. This particular model has been finished as per the example being restored at the railway, whose life at Maenofferen meant it underwent some interesting modifications...

These involved cutting down the controls and adding dumb buffers - but despite this it still wouldn’t fit through the adit so saw little use and was discarded on the quarry level in the elements until saved for preservation.

The model is based upon the ones I built in 2019 and 2020, but with modified cab controls to the scale height of the prototype. I have also faithfully copied the arrangement of the cast coupling blocks and side dumb buffers. Finished in the colours we think it wore in service, it shows signs of work, but not the hard life it’s real life inspiration bore witness too!

This is the last of the Hudson Hunslet. I have retired the model, and am focusing on the next 7/8ths project, the Ruston LB. If you’re interested in a one off model however, I will always entertain queries and am happy to provide pricing and specification, at today’s prices (mid 2021) you’d be looking at around £1300 for a model like this - get in touch if you’re keen, on this or a scratchbuild of any prototype (I love these in particular) on the website form, Facebook or forum messaging systems. In the meantime, more soon...