This is a small scale (HO) live steam model of Stephenson's Rocket. It is unusual in that it is partly gold plated. L-S Loc models were usually gold plated but there were some produced unplated. This example has the tender plated but not the engine itself. This could mean that it is a combination of two originals or it could mean that the engine has lost it's gold plating.
The boiler is a simple pot boiler, 13mm diameter x 24mm long. It is fired by a single wick meths burner. The meths tank is mounted on the tender, connected to the wick holder by a length of flexible tubing filled with wick material. The meths tank is higher than the wick holder so the meths flow is a drip feed, regulated by a screw valve. Steam is fed via two separate short pipes to the backs of the two port faces of the oscillating cylinders. The cylinders are single acting, 3.1mm bore x 7.5mm stroke, connected directly to crank pins on the two front wheels. Exhaust is direct to the atmosphere from the backs of the port faces, not even through the completely dummy exhaust pipes and chimney. The engine is weighted by a block of heavy metal, probably lead, on order to lower the centre of gravity and increase traction.| Make | L-S Loc |
| Model | Mini-Rocket |
| Made | ? |
| Description | 0-2-2 railway loco |
| Cylinders | 2 |
| Cylinder Type | single acting |
| Bore mm | 3.1 |
| Stroke mm | 7.5 |
| Valve Type | Oscillating cylinder |
| Boiler Type | Horizontal |
| Boiler Diam mm | 13 |
| Boiler length/height mm | 24 |
| Fuel | Meths |
| Mechanical Condition | Good? |
| Cosmetic Condition | Good |
| Paintwork | N/A |
| Packaging | Cardboard box |
| Purchased | 8/4/2019 |
| Purchase cost | £163.89 |
| Additional spend |