Rolling Stock – Maidstone Model Engineering Society

Loco Bio – Busy Bee

Busy Bee waits for the next service. We believe this is the original paint scheme from the 1960’s

Busy Bee is one of the oldest locomotives built within the Society. The locomotive was built as a 2-stroke petrol engine in the late 1960’s. With the engine being life expired the power plant was changed out to a battery electric solution in 2023 returning the locomotive to service.

Busy Bee is mentioned as “bearing the brunt of the work”, with Princess during the 1969 holiday Christmas and New Year holidays.

Busy Bee is privately owned however is of historical significance to the Society and it’s great to see it back on the rails.

Power type	Electric
Builder	–
Designer	–
Build date	1967/68?
Gauge	5″
Scale	1/12

The electric motor being fitted to drive the jackshaft. This is a 250W 24V motor that we’re driving at 12V using a motor controller from AliExpress.

Braveheart returns to the rails

3.5″ gauge Braveheart waiting in the Maidstone Park steaming bay

Braveheart was completed by Alan Kemp in 1995 and is named after the movie released that year. Last steamed in the late 1990’s or early 2000’s Braveheart has recently been undergoing minor work to return her to service.

With a newly completed boiler certificate Braveheart returned to the rails on 22 January 2023 for a shakedown run to identify other required repairs.

Braveheart is built to the Martin Evans “Rob Roy” design and is an 0-6-0 Tank engine based on Caledonian Railway class 498 designed by John F. McIntosh. The model’s light weight allows it to be lifted by one person, however it should manage to pull three adults around the track.

Cab view of the engine during testing on blocks. This is the first fire the engine had seen in over 20 years.

Köf

Scott has purchased a new locomotive modelled on a German Köf shunting engine.

Built by Robin Wilson the locomotive is powered with a 4-stroke petrol engine with a hydrostatic drive. The battery along with the compressor for the brakes are located in the driving car.

This locomotive has now entered service with it pulling its first passenger trains at Maidstone on Sunday the 25th of September.