Apparently the N&W Railway ordered a small number of (often
only one) HO hand-built scale models of some their steam engines,
during the 1950's and 60's. Why these were ordered I do not know.
Perhaps to present to a retiring employee or director? I have an interesting
note about these brass models, from Rick Morrison, who in an email says:
"N&W had a very nice HO layout which they displayed at expositions and
special events? These models ran on the layout. The layout was designed for continuous
running of the trains, and as a child in 1957 I was amazed by it. The layout
may still exist, but in private
hands and in poor condition. No one seems to know what happened to the models.
I do not think the company ever gave things like this away as gifts, etc. By
the early 1960's, N&W had
lost interest in displaying their layout."
Since then, many hundreds of hand-built brass models have been produced in HO and other scales. Many of these have been built in, and exported from, Korea and Japan to importers in the USA, who then distribute them through model shops and specialist retailers.
The model pictured above, was weathered to represent how the locomotive appeared in normal duty, particularly in the late 1950's. Note that this model incorporates the sheathed, or lagged/jacketed smokebox, which the Rivarossi model does not represent. This model could be numbered from 2171 to 2200. The tender on these models is representative of a modern type that carried 22,000 gallons of water, and 30 tons of coal, and used by the Y5 through Y6 classes.
Other Y6b models have been sold by Pacific Fast Mail (PFM), and Key Imports (KEY).
Earlier Y classes used 16,000 gallon, 23 ton, or 18,000 gallon, 26 ton tenders.
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