"Sentul" - a live steam locomotive in Malahide Castle

[jhb171achill]

An appeal here for information.

Amongst the material gathered over the years at Malahide Castle is a large-scale (probably 5" gauge - I need to measure it) 0.6.2T locomotive. It has a name "Sentul" which is the name of a place in Malaysia, but I'm pretty sure it's a "standard" generic design of loco, perhaps built from some of those sets of plans that would be published in model engineering magazines, designed specifically for outdoor ralways by the likes of Martin Evans.

I'm pretty certain that it is not even remotely like anything that ever ran either in Malaysia, or even here. It is painted an olive green colour.

It is not part of Cyril Fry's material, but appeared at some stage in Malahide Castle, when there was the large layout in there. It was probably donated by someone - but we don't know if, or when, or by who. Its registered owner, Fingal Co Council, is keen to establish more information about it. It was placed (by me) on display in the upstairs window of the Model Railway Museum during last week, pending the provision of a better display cabinet.

I have been in touch with the model engineers at Marlay Park, and they suggest that it might at one stage have operated in Herbert Park, but certainly never did at Marlay Park (I spoke to a highly knowledgeable gentleman who has been a member of that society for 72 years!).

I will post a few images of it, but I had to take them aganist a background of bright sunlight, so they're not good images - but I'll get better views during the week.

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by jhb171achill

[jhb171achill]

Had another look at this today. Here are a few more pics. I measured it - it's 3.5 inch gauge, not 5 inch as I had assumed.

Any information welcome, though I'm not holding out much hope, as even the DSMEE aren't sure what it is.

And….. it’s been steamed. 30-year old soot in the smokebox.

Edited September 26, 2022 by jhb171achill

[jhb171achill]

Basset Lowke pressure gauge - but presumably that doesn't mean they built it?

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by jhb171achill

[murphaph]

Fascinating topic. Maybe it would help to ask on a specialist UK site, if there's a suspicion it is built from plans available in a magazine etc?

[jhb171achill]

7 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Fascinating topic. Maybe it would help to ask on a specialist UK site, if there's a suspicion it is built from plans available in a magazine etc?

Yes, indeed.

Given that it has a B Lowke pressure gauge, I'm going to contact them.

All of the "leading lights" in the model engineering world here - which is so small it makes us modellers look like the population of China - are unfamiliar with it so far, though I await word from a couple of people I've got in contact with.

[Niles]

Kinda reminds me of the Campbeltown and Machrihanish Railway locos even if not quite the same.

[jhb171achill]

16 minutes ago, Niles said:

Kinda reminds me of the Campbeltown and Machrihanish Railway locos even if not quite the same.

Indeed!

[Mayner]

4 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Yes, indeed.

Given that it has a B Lowke pressure gauge, I'm going to contact them.

All of the "leading lights" in the model engineering world here - which is so small it makes us modellers look like the population of China - are unfamiliar with it so far, though I await word from a couple of people I've got in contact with.

Best option may be to post your question on the origin of the model on Model Engineer Forum https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/, 

Bassett Lowke is currently Hornby Hobbies brand name for its steampunk range, the original Northampton based company was dissolved during the 1960s, Corgi used the brand name for the Chinese 'replica" BL O Gauge mogul released in the early 2000s