MINIATURE HISTORY
Dear Editor
In the May edition of Old Glory you mention the freelance miniature Eskdale, seen during a visit by the RRA as part of their AGM. You might be interested in the early history of this engine,
Eskdale, originally named Winifred, was constructed by the late Tom Fisher, an engineer living in Reading. Shortly after WW2 he found a brand new boiler that had been built for a customer who then did not collect it. The cylinder from a small stationary engine was fitted and the first steaming of the complete engine took place in 1948.
Being licensed for the road, in 1951 was driven from Reading to Littlewick Green where it attended a local fete. This was was often displayed in the showroom of Hammant’s Garage in Woodlands Park. I drove it there several times although my first encounter with was in August 1951 - see photo!
