The Rarest Engine In My Collection | Unboxing & Review

A review of the rarest locomotive in my collection - the Wrenn West Country class in un-rebuilt condition!

Thanks for watching!

0:00 Intro
4:30 Unboxing
9:30 Prototype Info
11:35 Detail
18:15 Mechanism
21:18 Performance
23:05 Haulage
27:33 Ratings
31:31 Conclusion

[martinwatts]

A great friend of mine, who sadly passed away years ago, with his wife Shirley, designed the body of the loco in conjunction with Wrenn staff. I bought 3 unprepared bodies from him for a fiver each. As far as I can recall, these were the latest locos to be designed by Wrenn before their demise, and I bought a Plymouth for £30 and an Exeter for £35 from Hattons, definitely. Albert Goodall spent lots of time taking measurements, photos, and details from Barry Scrapyard in South Wales. Known as Mister Bulleid, he helped me with many things, and he is still revered today for his knowledge. He made corrected paper overlays for streamlined WC/BB, kits from Kitmaster / Airfix, original and late cab, whitemetal parts for Triang Bulleids, and even platform fencing, much of which I had, and released on several photocopy sheets, with other details as his "catalogue". Prices were always very reasonable. He was a real fount of knowledge, and when I told him I was going to build a 257 Squadron, he said "don't forget the centre driver has an incorrectly made wheel", and made me one to suit! Sadly, I divorced, and the whole collection of several hundred locos was sold, but at least I had made a great friend in Albert, Shirley too, of Sevenoaks in Kent. I pondered earlier taking over the business he had when he got too old to do it, but someone else did, and produces these parts to improve many older locos and perhaps some new. Albert in my estimation, was a great loss to the Bulleid community, as he was able to tell the quirks of each loco, which were modified and when, without referring to a book.

[NWRJ_WStudios]

Funny Story Sam I got a rebuild one of these for $30, the owner said that It didn't work but when I got home to test it, it ran beautifully ;)

Cheers Jasper & Willow

[azuma]

Ahh a vintage OO loco review? Don't see a lot of those around here anymore. Not complaining, maybe you should do something like this every now and then! These old models have a certain charm to them. :)

[jaywatchtravel]

I think a vintage table would be a nice idea if you do more reviews like this in the future

[Richpeo]

I have a few Wrenn's. Their wagons hold up to the modern stuff in my opinion, I seek them out with their metal chassis's they run excellent and dont have derail problems. Their engines, I have the Brunswick Green Mallard and the 2-6-4 tank and they just feel like something special. Detail wise not really amazing mostly down to painted detail in my opinion, but to hold in the hand they feel like a miniaturised machine rather than a fragile plastic model.

[MrSnooze]

Good to see this excellent item, I run Wrenn all the time on my vintage Tri-ang Super 4 layout. Please continue to occasionally feature some vintage items, there are a lot of us who still enjoy running them and modifying them too. All the best to you

[jeffreysmith]

Since your model has orange lining I believe that means it was made between 1990 and 1992. So, if 1192 indicates the date, it may be one the very last made.
I do agree that Wrenn (and Hornby Dublo) models do have a certain charisma. My fondness for them probably stems from me having several from the late 1960s, when I was a boy.

[jeremypreece]

Excellent. A West Country Class un-rebuilt and in proper Southern railway colours too! Love it! The Spam Cans were truly iconic, but rarely do we see them in Southern colours. I have the Hornby 00 version of Exeter and have to admit to it being my favourite.

[JagoHazzard]

Is the Merchant Navy on the turntable the odd one out among a sea of West Countries?

[donsharpe]

The danger of the Hornby/Wrenn ringfield motor was that it had a tendency to stall and burn out. I still have two, a Hornby Dublo Stanier 2-8-0 costing £1.50 in 1967 and a Wrenn West Country costing me £5.00 in 1972. The non-ringfield motor in Hornby Dublo was better than the ringfield in my 2-6-4 tank.

[richardmendham]

You asked if we'd like some more of the older engines in your collection. YES PLEASE! Bring 'em on!

[acampbell]

Photos of both the West Country and the Royal Scot appear as locos "Coming Soon" in the 1976 Wrenn catalogue.The tender and motor are the same as supplied with the Hornby-Dublo rebuilt West Country which dates back to the 1950s.

[frankcoward]

Yes, would love to see more of older locos run and discussed again. Most of mine are from the 1970’s and 80’s. Just a few purchased over the past year.

[CplBurdenR]

Until I saw the box in your video, never knew Wrenn was based in Basildon. (family connection) All the years I saw Wrenn models at train fairs :D

[BrewPub]

If memory serves me the Wrenn locos shot up in price after the factory in Wales burned down, with the loss of all tooling. I think this as around 95/96? I was England at the time and attending a couple of model loco auctions, and noticed the price jump.

[lukeslocomotives]

I remember you pointing out this video in a live stream a while back. Please can we see more reviews of older models?

[timbervalleyproductions]

Love this loco, I have a Wrenn Duchess, worth about £200. Decent model for it's time. Interestingly it's branded "Tri-ang Wrenn" so maybe they were bought by Tri-Ang? I don't know. Great video as always.

[xenon]

From memory, Beatties, Holborn, late 1980's (ish), £108-00. I wanted one and didn't have the money, however I have one now, Fighter Pilot - Golden Arrow, with flags and goodness knows what. And yes, it's my favourite engine, having been professionally 3-railed and running on my Hornby-Dublo system. I totally agree with both your sentiments, it does not have the detail that a new loco would have but... I just love these things, loud, solid and they run.
That 3 pole motor was introduced in 1938 ! Wrenn later did a 5 pole version. these motors used more current than modern locos and you really need a much more powerful controller, then it will go pretty well, and do wheel spins.

[numptypootis]

What an absolutely clean old model, even the motor is so tidy and clean! Ive never seen magnet plates that shiny and chrome

[ModelRailwaysUnlimited]

Hi Sam, lovely, lovely model. I'm surprised she is that sluggish, not been my finding at all. I was going to suggest the magnet but you say you have done that. Does it have the inductors to the motor? Outside chance one of them has some resistance. Cheers