They say that a fool and his money are soon parted, so that’s me (DaveS) and Jim so far. Might there be others in YMRG? Anyway, at the York exhibition one year, 2018 I think, we were exhibiting St Martin’s Wharf for Bob. Jim spotted a small O gauge loco, a Fowler 2F dock tank, for less than £100 and bought it. I bought a Pug at the same dealer, Agenoria. The dock tank was an incomplete model but had wheels and motor. Jim decided to move it on as he had done nothing with it in the intervening period. I thought that it would make a useful addition for Gas Works and I could get it working reasonably quickly, and so I bought it.

Once at home I was able to give the model a closer inspection. It was a bit rough at the bends on the firebox, the top of the cab and some of the castings were missing. The decision was made to take it apart to get to the bits that need fixing.

A look along the boiler suggested further dismantling.

With the cab separated from model a start was made in sorting out the top edge of the cab roof.

With the cab roof sorted a start was made on the firebox top. I tried to flatten it but I think I over heated it and it cracked.

So a new one had to be made. According to pictures I had of various dock tanks, the one I wanted to model had washout plugs not mud hole bridges so the chance was taken to model these instead.

The model came with enough frets to make two locos. According to my Ian Allan Combined Volume (Winter 1961/2) (with “ABC Binder De Luxe!) and found that I had seen two of the class of 7. So I think that I’ll be building both of them with the bits that I have and those that Ragstone Models can supply. Hopefully some of the frets can be re-etched as the ones I have have some defects.

The dock tank was an Agenoria pre production model. Agenoria has sold its 7mm models to Ragstone Models.

Could well be two Dock Tanks for the price of one – more to follow.