Ben Alder
Western Thunderer
After the last forage into reality on the FNL, another look at what might have been. One of the reasons for these distractions is that the number of actual locos that worked the line was scant, especially if you exclude the Black Fives, and this, along with an inability to stop making things and more than an interest in what might have developed, has led to a fleet of supposed designs and extended lives of actual locos. This is one of the what ifs - one of Peter Drummonds plans for a beefed up Small Ben with the same drivers but an extended wheelbase and boiler. It is a melange of Hornby Compound with smaller driving wheels and an adjusted T9 body along with cab sides and splashers from the white metal Small Ben kit, supplied as spares from South Eastern Finecast. As I am supposing it was based at Helmsdale I gave it local names, both sides different as only one can be seen at a time....One of the pics shows the larger loco on the right alongside one of my actual Bens.
