Saltford Models plateway Lewin

Recently I've been very lucky and got my hands on a Saltford models motorised plateway Lewin;

This loco was built by a chap called Mike Hankin, who agreed to sell it to me.

It's nicely finished in black, which suits the loco well;

Wheels are turned brass, and are flanged so the loco can either be used on plateway track set to 14mm gauge or on OO gauge rail;

It's a tiny little loco, loosely based on a loco called Tiny which ran on the Middlebere Tramway in Dorset, but with a different smokebox and a Haycock firebox.

The driver was also sold by Saltford Models, and was described in the catalogue as a Portly Engine Driver. This one is nicely painted, but has come detached in transit;

The underside;

An ECM motor drives the front axle, the rear is unpowered. Note the split-frame construction, the two screws that can be seen below the rear axle are there to connect the chassis sides to the motor, the rear of which can be seen protruding into the cab;

I need to clean the excess glue from the footplate and repair the brake stanchion.

Here it is next to my static Lewin;

After a bit of fettling, mainly flushing the bearings out with a brush full of lighter fluid and applying a few drops of clock oil, then cleaning the wheels with more lighter fluid and Brasso, the loco runs. However, there's a bind on the rear undriven axle that needs sorting, which is my next job.

Paul.