Accucraft S78-5 Kerr Stuart ‘Sirdar’ 0-4-0T

Diana was built in 1909 by Kerr Stuart as part of an order for six 2′ 5 1⁄2″ gauge locomotives for Mauritius. Although several of the locomotives in the order were sent to Mauritius, Diana wasn’t delivered and stayed at Kerr Stuart’s factory in Stoke on Trent. In 1917, the locomotive was purchased by the Home Grown Timber Committee of the Board of Trade for use on the Kerry Tramway, near Newtown, Powys in Mid Wales. It was rebuilt to 2′ gauge and delivered to Kerry, Powys.

The Kerry Tramway closed in 1922, though a short length was retained and worked by an unknown locomotive. In 1925, Diana was sold to the Oakeley Quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog, where it worked for the next twenty years. In 1945, it was sold on to the Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry in the Nantlle Valley, where it and worked until its boiler was condemned in 1950.

Diana was purchased for preservation in 1964 and passed through the hands of a variety of owners and moved to a number of different locations including the Llanberis Lake Railway, the Brecon Mountain Railway and Alan Keef’s in Ross on Wye although its restoration was never fully completed until it passed into the hands of Phil Mason, a Talyllyn Railway volunteer, who finished the work at the Vale of Rheidol Railway before setting the engine to work on the Bala Lake Railway.

The model is gas-fired and fitted with a water top up valve, miniature pressure gauge and lubricator; constructed of stainless steel and etched brass with a copper boiler, the locomotive has an enhanced level of detail made possible by this scale including a brake stand / gas control valve, dummy water gauges and sliding cab-sheet doors.  It is gauge-adjustable between 45mm and 32mm gauges.  The gas tank is concealed in the left hand side tank with the filler hidden under a dummy coal load, the Goodall top-up valve is hidden in the dummy sand pot on the boiler. Our thanks to Phil Mason for giving us unlimited access to the locomotive and David Fletcher for producing the superb drawings.

S78-5A Kerr Stuart ‘Sirdar’ 0-4-0T in lined grey, Diana
S78-5B Kerr Stuart ‘Sirdar’ 0-4-0T in lined black
S78-5C Kerr Stuart ‘Sirdar’ 0-4-0T in lined green
S78-5D Kerr Stuart ‘Sirdar’ 0-4-0T in lined maroon
S78-5E Kerr Stuart ‘Sirdar’ 0-4-0T in plain black

Specifications:

• Scale: 22.5mm to 1 foot (1:13.7), 7/8ths” to 1 foot
• Gauge: 45mm or 32mm adjustable
• Length: 270mm (over buffer beams)
• Width: 126mm
• Height: 195mm
• Boiler: Centre Flue
• Working Pressure: 60psi
• Weight: TBA
• Minimum Radius: 600mm (2 feet)
• Reversing Gear: Piston type, reverse by lever in the cab
• Valve Gear: Simulated Stephenson’s link
• Fuel: Butane Gas
• Boiler Fittings: Safety valve, pressure gauge, water top-up valve
• Cab Controls: Steam regulator, gas regulator, reverse lever