BR (exLNER) Thompson B1 class 4-6-0 no. 61033 Dibatag

Mick Bayliss Model for sale, My loco collection
BR (exLNER) Thompson B1 class 4-6-0 no. 61033 Dibatag. By Finescalebrass. A recent auction purchase, unusually not an on-line purchase, but as a room bidder. If possible, it is good to travel to the auction to view the items first before making bids. With models such as this you cannot beat actually being able to handle the goods. Added bonuses are that you do not get charged extra for on-line bids and that after paying you can take your models home with you, rather than having to pay for it to be shipped or collected. However unfortunately as in the case of this lovely B1, you still cannot ensure that the bloomin’ thing actually works! Which it didn’t. At home, after a light lubrication and on the rolling road, just noises like gears slipping. To cut a long story short, this B1 now has an ABC motor and gear unit fitted, with a new 3/16″ diameter drive axle, hand made by a good friend and fitted by myself. Dibatag now performs as good as he looks.

Named B1’s were rare for me when I was a kid. I remember seeing Umseke, Gnu and Dibatag. All strange names that, bearing in mind these were the days before the Flanders and Swann song, I had not a clue.