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The style
of our locomotives can best be described as “miniature narrow
gauge”, and came about through the influence of the 71/4" Gauge Society, plus a few
personal ideas and amendments brought about by a liking for the narrow
gauge style. The 71/4" gauge is one that can offer a
reasonably sized engine plus the possibility of easy transport. However
when a narrow gauge prototype is followed, a much larger outline emerges.
If in addition, a narrow gauge engine is based on a freelance design as
they are at Moors Valley Railway, an even larger proportion is possible.
Our locomotives have a height of 46 inches, width of 26 inches, length of
up to 17 feet and a weight approaching one ton which means
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that
transportation in vehicles smaller than medium sized vans or trailers would
generally be out of the question. At Moors Valley Railway you will note
that the drivers of the engines sit within their cabs, a feat not achieved
with smaller gauges. Until Tinkerbell (the first Tuctonia locomotive) was
built in 1968 by Roger Marsh at Coventry it was
not thought possible to construct an engine to these proportions for the 71/4" sgauge.
However since then much larger locomotives have been built both here and
elsewhere. All the locomotives that were in use at Tuctonia were brought
here and since then a number of new powerful engines more suitable for the
steep gradients on this railway have been built.
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