Graham Gain explains: “Some years ago I was contemplating building a Hunslet Quarry loco 'Elidir' to the design of an old friend Alan Ruston. His son David mentioned to me a smaller loco 'Louisa' and said he could possibly obtain a G.A. drawing. When it arrived it appeared ideal for a compact nominally 4" scale model. The full size boiler was only 18"dia or 6"dia copper tube for the model.

“Further examination showed, unusually, the regulator was on the side of the fountain and the main steam pipe passing beneath the saddle tank. With all this ‘cold’ steam I decided to fit experimentally three double pass superheaters, which work extremely well. As it was to be used for passenger work twin mechanical lubricators are fitted along with needle bearings on axles, cranks and crossheads.”

The full size loco was delivered from Hunslet to Dinorwic in 1877. A few other basic detail are:- It weighed only 3ton 6cwt empty, was 11ft 2in long, had a grate area of 1 3/4 square feet, and had one injector and one pump and could be transported on the 'tanc' inclines to the quarry galleries.

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Editor - David Carpenter