Q-Class locomotive 541 (ACE Trains)
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Q-Class locomotive 541 (ACE Trains) |
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A black gauge 0 0-6-0 Southern Railway Q-Class freight locomotive, number 541, made by ACE Trains.
ACE have produced at least three versions of the Q-Class - this one is listed as "Southern black with Maunsell chimney no.541".
The Q Class
Th Q-Class were the last locomotives to be designed by Richard Maunsell, and were Southern's last loco before World War Two. Twenty were built at Eastleigh Works by Oliver Bulleid in 1938, primarily for goods work, but also to be used occasionally for light passenger train duties.
The Q Class was succeeded by the wartime "austerity" Q1 Class.
Preservation
Just one of the Q-Class is preserved - number 541 - at the Bluebell Railway.
In the Museum
The Museum's piece lives on the central 1930s gauge 0 layout, where it pulls a chain of goods wagons around the layout when a visitor presses a white plastic button. Although almost all the other locos on the layout were actually built in the 1930s, it didn't seem sensible to be wearing out the motor of an irreplaceable vintage loco for a push-button display, so to this situation we've used a modern rendition of a 1930's loco, which we also know is going to be sturdy enough to be able to cope with constant use.
The train of Hornby Series carriages pulled behind the loco, however, are genuine period pieces.
External links
- ACE Trains Southern 541 (modelrailwaycollector.moonfruit.com) - scroll down to "AL006".
This model railway wagon is part of a train on the 1930s gauge 0 layout that performs a single circuit of the track when visitors press a button.
