Page 7 - January February 1997
P. 7

  AN ALCO IN OXON
Keith Webb
Down in deepest Oxfordshire, tight against the Buckinghamshire border, sits the busy market town of Thame (pro- nounced Tame). Here, on Sept. 9th 1996, I was invited to a nearly empty warehouse where sits an Alco S-1, in pretty much original configuration.
Built by the American Locomotive Company at Schenectady, New York, in March 1950, Works #77777 formed part of an order for the Steel Company of Wales, Port Talbot. With her came four others, three with consecutive numbers, the other with a works number not in that sequence.
As far as we can tell, all had unsuper- charged 660 hp Mackintosh & Seymour prime movers, delivering 40,000 lbs of tractive effort at 8 mph (the same as a GWR King) and weighed in at 85 tons. Of the other four, only two now survive, one at Peterborough, the other in Shropshire. Both of these have been seri- ously Anglicised to fit the British loading gauge.
Here #77777 has, for some reason, been more fortunate. She retains a lot of her manufacturer's fittings including headlamp, horn and, that rarely-modelled little detail, the poling pocket. The only alterations from standard appear to be the removal of the shutters from the top of the hood and a thermostatic control fitted to the engine coolant system, the cast iron axle covers being replaced with flat steel, lifting points welded, and buffers bolted to the pilot plates. The cou- pler pockets are a very interesting arrangement as they are obviously origi- nals, but instead of buckeyes protruding from them there is a factory-fitted three link chain and hook system, which is able to swing from side to side in its slot. The cab has not been cut down, or butchered in any way, and still retains its original wood lining. This makes its total height from rail top 16' 5". There is no exhaust stack, and apparently there never was. For
 UNCOUPLED CARS
(All items by the Editor unless otherwise credited)
 BEANERY
 FOR SALE...
NMRA Heritage Series. Rare opportunity to purchase FULL SET of O scale Heritage Freight Cars, seven in total. £195 delivered.
AND WANTED...
O Scale open hoppers Weaver etc. any road name or undec.
Lawson Little: 01623 870663
FOR SALE...
5 CON-COR HO Amtrak Superliners - coach/bagg; lounge/cafe; coach; sleeper; dining car. All fitted Kadee's. £6.00 each.
Apply Jerry Hall, 351 Henry, Coopersville, Grand Rapids, MI49404 USA.
Tel: 616-837-6605
(Jerry will be in Oxford from July 5th to August 12th 1997 so can deliver by pre-arrangement.)
FOR SALE...
HO C&O locos. 2 x Atlas RSD4/5, 1 x S-2; Front Range GP7; Athearn F7 A and B, coal hoppers, freight and passenger cars, and 4 books on the C&O.
Also Kato GP35 in CP, Atlas RS3's in GN, Athearn SW1500 Conrail. Also 3 books on the ATSF.
Tel: Neville Doe on 01502-588138 or write... 10 Breckland Way, Lowestoft NR32 4DS.
WANTED...
HO locos - SP Cab forward, PRR produc- tion T1 4-4-4-4, UP Big Blow turbine, ATSF 4-8-4 (s). All must be mint, boxed and preferably painted. Might have some items to swap, including videos, continental mod- els etc.
Contact Tom Ingrams on 0181-859-7539
FOR SALE...
Only three items left from last advert. HO brass Custom Brass C&O Hudson L2a £200, and C&O Mountain J3a £200, Alco Models PRR G5s 4-6-0. £180. All plus postage (approx £4).
Contact Martin Boyask on 01273 422048 between 6pm and 9pm.
   those reading in black and white, the colour scheme is a very faded British Steel blue and yellow with black hatching, and the number carried is 803.
Now is your chance to work in a new scale of 12" = 1ft. If you can offer some practical and/or financial help, in return- ing #77777 to a presentable condition, the American Railroad Centre (UK) Ltd. would love to hear from you. Apart from needing a really good check over and oil replacement, filter clean etc., the engine should be in serviceable condition as it has not had any parts removed since it was turned off 17 years ago. Help is also needed on the administration side, in the form of a membership secretary, as well as a publicity agent, as one man is doing it all at present. To join, all you have to do is send a paltry £15 to "The Membership Secretary", The American Railroad Centre (UK) Ltd., 8 Gillian Close, Hampton, Middx. TW12 2NX.
In return you will receive a newsletter and the opportunity to see and work on a piece of American history. The group would also be interested to hear from anyone who is modelling an S-1.
I have been asked to pass on the request that you do not try to see the locomotive without an invitation as it is on private land, and unscheduled visits could possibly upset the agreement between the group and the site owner (who is not the occupier.)
  FEBRUARY 1997 7
PLEASE MENTION ROUNDHOUSE WHEN REPLYING TO ADVERTS - PRIVATE OR COMMERCIAL, THANK YOU.
 































































   5   6   7   8   9