The 517 Class were small 0-4-2T tank engines designed by George Armstrong for local passenger work on the Great Western Railway. 144 were built at Wolverhampton Works in 13 lots and were outshopped between 1868 and 1885. During the late 1880’s and early 1890’s most had their wheelbases lengthened to 15 foot 6 inches and from 1904 onwards several were converted to auto train working which scattered them over the system. When Charles Collett became CME, during 1924 he widened the tanks and provided a new cab with extended bunker which became the Swindon rebuild and outwardly looked very similar to the later 48xx class he designed in 1932. The last of the class 1159 was withdrawn in August 1947 just missing out on nationalization. All members of the class were disposed of with none making it into preservation.

Model

1:76 Scale model of a 517 Class Steam Locomotive decorated in GWR livery. This model features lots of expertly applied details as based on the prototype, a high level of body detail and excellent running characteristics.

Features

1:76 Scale Model

DCC Fitted Model

NEM Couplings

Diecast chassis, running plate, wheels (with metal tyres) boiler and fire box (two fire box types)

Fully compensated chassis

Three cab types: open, closed and the later Collett design

Detailed cab interiors· Removable cab roof (held in place with magnets on all enclosed cab versions)

Tall and short chimney types

Churchward sprung tapered shank buffers

High level of separately added detail

Representation of internal motion

Expertly applied liveries

Printed number plates with etched plates in the accessory pack

A slide in PCB offers simple ‘tool-free’ installation of a NEXT-18 DCC decoder

’No-solder’ speaker connection. This board slides through the smoke box door and connects directly to the locomotive mother board.

Firebox glow

High quality coreless motor

All wheel pick up

Next-18 DCC Socket