LNER Gresley A3 class 4-6-2 no. 2752 Spion Kop. This fabulous model was built from the Martin Finney kit by Graham Varlev, with Slaters wheels, a Portescap RG7 motor and gears unit. Current collection is by the American method, which collects power from one rail via the loco wheels and the other rail by the tender wheels. The drawbar is insulated as it has to be. All loco driving and tender wheels are compensated in true Martin Finney fashion. Paintwork is by Larry Goddard and he has signed his name, together with the builder’s name on the underside of the running plate to give absolute provenance. She runs as quietly and as smoothly as she looks. Regular viewers of these pages might realise that the Gresley A3 class is up there as one of my favourite locomotive classes, whether in LNER green, BR blue, BR green, single chimney, double chimney, smoke deflectors, they always look good to me. A true Gresley masterpiece.
