LB&SCR 46 Newington (later 646) has had a long and varied career, being completed January 1877 and sold on to the London&South Western Railway in 1903.
The LSWR purchased two of the Brighton lines' A1 class Terriers for service on the Lyme Regis branch, later known as the last home of the Adams Radial tanks due to the sharp curves and light construction of some bridges. LB&SCR numbers 646 and 668 became LSWR 734 and 735. Overhauled and repainted into the LSWRs green livery at Nine Elms shed the two engines were used as station pilots and on Poole quay before moving to the Lyme Regis line.
After the upgrading of the Lyme Regis line to allow class O2 engines to be used 734 went to Eastleigh for service on the Bishops' Waltham branch and the works fitted a new Drummond design boiler in 1912.
During 1913 LSWR 734 was hired by the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway on the Isle of Wight and was purchased the following year as their No.2. The FY&N became part of the Southern Railway in 1923 and FYNR 2 became W2 in the SR numbering system. Fitted with the extended 'Isle of Wight' bunker and air-control regulator pull-push apparatus through the 1920s, W2 was named Freshwater in 1928. During 1932 an A1X type boiler was fitted at Ryde works, followed by renumbering to W8.
W8 was one just two Terriers remaining on the Isle of Wight lines at nationalisation and both returned to the mainland during 1949. W8 regained her old Brighton number, now BR 32646 worked on the Hayling Island branch until closure in November 1963. Purchased by The Sadler Railcar Company November 1964 for use on the Meon Valley line 32646 returned to Hayling Island (by road) for display outside the Hayling Billy public house in 1966.
During the late 1970s the Wight Locomotive Society negotiated with Whitbreads, then owners of the pub and engine, for the return of the engine to the Isle of Wight for restoration and in 1979 32646 was donated for service on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway where, resuming her Isle of Wight identity as W8 Freshwater, the engine was returned to steam in 1981.
Model Features:
- Sprung metal buffers and coupling hook with 3-link couplings.
- Diecast running plate for extra strength and weight.
- Firebox glow and flicker effect.
- Etched plates where applicable
- Finely moulded plastic body with many separately added fine details.
- Choice of DCC Ready (21-pin decoder socket) and DCC Sound fitted models.
- Cast, profiled wheels with fine relief and appropriate colouring.
- Tungsten chassis and all wheel pickup.
- Powerful 5 pole skew wound motor with refined slow running control.
- Accessory bag with spares and other added detail.