The ROUNDHOUSE Museum

Welcome to the vaults hidden deep in the cellars of the Roundhouse Factory.
Here you will find details of models and events that helped to shape the company into the force we see today.
If you just want to browse, then follow our timeline, starting in 1980 and click on the thumbnails for full screen pictures. If you are looking for details of specific past models, here is an alphabetical index to take you straight to the one you want. Some models have evolved over the years and appear several times in the time-tour.
Our collection of events and memorabilia will be updated and added too on a regular basis.
Anna- Argyll- Bangalore Bell- Bertie- Billy- Blanche- Carrie- Charles- Charles Pooter- Coal Fired Models- Coffee Pot- Criccieth Castle- Darjeeling 'B' class- Deko- Dylan- Elsa- Erica- Fiji Fowler- Forney- Fowler- Gungadin- Helene- Jack- Katie- Lady Anne- Liberty Bell- Linda- L & B- Michael- Millie- Mountaineer- Mr. Merlin's Pooter- Old Colonial- Queen Anne- Sammie- Silver Lady- S.R. & R.L.#24- Stanley- William- Victoria- Vale of Rheidol 2-6-2- Zillertal-

1980
Charles
The loco that never was! The original model was intended to be the ex-Penrhyn Quarries Rly 'Charles', an 0-4-0 Hunslet saddle tank, brother engine to 'Linda' and 'Blanche' currently running on the Ffestinog Railway. Unfortunately, before the design was finalised, 'Steamcraft' brought out their own version of Linda and the project was dropped.
The part built prototype is seen here around 1980.
See also Charles 2006.

1982
Victoria
The first commercial model from the Roundhouse stable!
'Victoria' was a model of an 0-4-0 vertical boilered tram locomotive that ran on the Plynlimon and Haffan Railway and was launched in February 1982. She had a single cylinder operated by slip-eccentric valve gear and a spirit fired vertical boiler.
She was discontinued in July 1984.
Lady Anne
'Lady Anne' followed 'Victoria' very shortly and was originally an 0-4-0 slip-eccentric, spirit fired model as shown in the first picture. She very quickly aquired a polished brass dome and one or two other refinements (picture 2).
Radio control was also offered with the radio equipment housed in a four wheel tender (picture 3). All these early models had tin-plate superstructure.
See also 1983 Full cab version- 1984 photo-etched body version- 1988 Walschaerts version- 1995 latest update
1st colour brochure
Roundhouse have produced a colour illustrated catalogue ever since 1982.
Unit 9
Unit 9 Cherry Tree Road, the original 400 square foot workshop, just a few hundred yards from the famous Doncaster Plant Works - birthplace of such famous locomotives as 'Mallard' and 'Flying Scotsman'.
Over the next few years, Roundhouse expanded into the two neibouring units as well as staff and machinary needs increased.
Dylan
'Dylan', an 0-4-0 saddle tank using the same chassis as 'Lady Anne', was launched in October 1982 and made it's debut at the Garden Railway Show at Welshpool the same year. Roundhouse exhibition stand at that first showing pictured below. Note computer aided display.
Dylan was finally discontinued in 1994.
See also 1984 photoetched body version- 1988 Walschaerts version
1982 Welshpool show

1983

Lady Anne (full cab)
Lady Anne receives a full cab like brother Dylan
Barry Vaughan joins the company as a partner.
1983 Welshpool show
Seeing as we had an early picture of Roger Loxley manning the Roundhouse exhibition stand, I thought we ought to slip this one in of Barry Vaughan the following year - Oh how time weaves it's changes.

1984
Charles Pooter
1984 saw the introduction of Charles Pooter. This was an 0-4-0 side tank with Hackworth valve gear, but still with external spirit firing. This is a model of the first version, with tinplate body. The model had been produced in limited numbers by the late, great, Jack Wheldon, who enticed many modellers out into the garden with his superb articles and tales of his 'Border Counties Railway' in the railway press during the 70's and 80's.
Charles Pooter was discontinued in 1990
See also Photo etched body version- 1986 square spectacle version- 1988 final version- Carrie - 2005 re-birth
Gas firing first offered
All three models are offered with the option of gas firing. This is a conversion that bolts into the existing firebox but very few are actually produced.This option is later taken up by 'Gratech Services' who offer it as a bolt on extra.
Mountaineer
It is not common knowledge, but Roundhouse produced parts and assemblies for the Steamcraft 'Mountaineer' locomotive. Here we see a batch going together in the first workshop around 1984.
Phot-etched platework 1984 also saw a move over to photo etched brass platework instead of tinplate. This gave a slightly different look to the three locomotives. Pooter also received a slightly fatter chimney.

Lineside Accessories and Locomotive detail castings
The use of white metal castings for adding detail to engines had been increasing over the last year. A collection of these locomotive parts which included cab steps, sand boxes, headlamp, cowcatcher etc. etc. were now offered for sale to builders for detailing their own models.
These were also joined by a series of lineside items in kit form.
This range of parts was finally discontinued in 1998
Factory expands into an adjacent and much larger industrial unit as extra space is needed.

1985
Old Colonial
New for 1985 was 'The Old Colonial'. This was essentially an 0-6-0 Lady Anne with a rear bunker, working headlamp, spark arrestor chimney, cowcatcher, dummy wood loads and several other extra details. This proved quite a popular model, especially in the rather fetching livery illustrated.
The model was discontinued in 1988.
Rolling Stock
To accompany the 'Old Colonial', two bogie vehicles were offered in either kit form or ready to run. The one illustrated is the 'stake car' which had sockets along the side for vertical wooden posts to be inserted. The other version was the same but without the sockets or posts.
These were a one piece cast resin deck with integral underframe detail, with white metal castings for the bogies, ends and stake sockets etc.
These were discontinued a long time ago.

Coffee Pot
Start production of an 0-4-0 vertical boilered loco something like a DeWinton, called 'Coffee Pot', for Brandbright Ltd.
It was gas fired and powered by oscilating cylinders and was offered with or without a roof.
The model was discontinued some time ago, and no photo is available at the moment, but the drawing is scanned from a Brandbright news letter of the time..
Factory expansion again as yet more space is needed. Now occupying three adjacent industrial units.

1986
Mr. Merlin's Pooter
Tom Cooper, formally of Merlin Locomotives (now there are two names to conjour with) commissioned Roundhouse to produce locomotives for him when he parted company with Merlin. Tom advertised this under his 'Steamlines Models and Publications' (SMP) banner as Mr. Merlin's Pooter though it was known as TTE (Thomas's Tank Engine, apologies to a small pale blue tank engine with a grey face) at the factory. Not many were produced before Tom moved onto fresh pastures and the model was withdrawn early 1987. It used the Charles Pooter chassis/boiler with a new body and cast smoke box.
Steel Tipper Truck
Around the same time as Mr. Merlins Pooter was being produced, Tom also commissioned a batch of steel tipper trucks. These were fabricated from steel stampings which were spot welded together and were available in either 32 or 45mm gauge using plastic wheels.
Only a single batch of 500 were produced, and only the first 50 of these went to SMP - the remaining 450 being sold as Roundhouse rolling stock.
Queen Anne
Another special for Brandbright Ltd, this time based on 'Lady Anne'. She was in apple green livery lined in white, 0-6-0 and with much extra detal.

Charles Pooter (square windows)
Charles Pooter also received a further facelift and gained square spectacles and a brass dome amongst other detail improvements.

1987
Modular Locomotive System
Lady Anne and Dylan are offered in kit form and proves extremely popular. The first version was with fixed gauge wheels but could be built as either four or six coupled.

1988
Roundhouse-Beck
This was a busy year with many changes and new additions. Roundhouse purchased the former 'Beck' range of locomotives and put these into production at a budget price. These were originally produced in Germany, then bought by a UK company and moved to Telford in England, and finally bought by Roundhouse. Merlin bought and used locomotives, assemblies and parts from Beck for a number of years before moving over to their own designs.
Anna, Helene & Zillertal
The major modification was the fitting of Roundhouse cylinders to the Beck locomotives. All three models were discontinued in 1990.
Erica
Erica was a reincarnation of Mr. Merlins Pooter but aimed at the continental market. It now featured spark arrestor chimney and a more continental livery.
It was discontinued in 1989.

Lady Anne spirit fired Walschaerts version
This is one that never was!. The prototype Walschaerts Lady Anne was actually spirit fired and appeared in a couple of adverts and one issue of the colour brochure at the time, though by the time it went into production, it had evolved into an internally gas fired model to overcome some production shortcommings.

Internal gas firing and Walshaerts type valve gear were introduced on Dylan and Lady Anne and both models became 0-6-0 with adjustable gauge wheels. Both engines were offered as either spirit fired slip eccentric or gas fired Walschaerts models. This major change in the Roundhouse range opened up many more possibilities and a new tender loco soon followed.
Charles Pooter final version
Pooter is updated to latest type squared end axles and self quartering outside cranks plus adjustable gauge wheels.
Pooter is finally discontinued in 1999 and the last model was built February 22nd 2000.
Fowler
The Fowler made it's debut at the Welshpool exhibition in August of this year - remember the 'cow shed'.
He's an 0-6-2 tender locomotive with Walschaerts valve gear and internal gas firing and is still in current production - see Fowler in the Models section.

1989
'Roundhouse - The Video'
made it's first appearance this year. Entirely produced by members of the Roundhouse team, it brought a new dimension to our advertising and several thousand copies have been sold over the years.
A new version is produced in 1995.
New Roundhouse Factory
Having now completely outgrown our factory units at Hexthorpe, a move to new premmises at Wheatley caused some upset to production at the end of 1989, but it was well worth the effort. Take our virtual factory tour and see for yourself.

1990
Three new models this year.
Jack
Jack, an 0-4-0 internally gas fired model on a complete new chassis.
Jack was discontinued in 1998.
L & B
The Lynton and Barnstaple 2-6-2 was an internally fired tank locomotive with slip eccentric valve gear.
It was discontinued in 1995.
Elsa
Elsa is a model produced specially for Garden Railway Specialists of Princess Risborough in the UK. It is an 0-6-0 saddle tank with tender and is based on the former Jack model. It is currently still in production, see Specials

1991
S.R & R.L. #24
This was the most detailed model Roundhouse had ever produced at the time, but it recieves a re-design and face lift in 2003 - see S.R. & R.L. #24 Mk2
Fiji Fowler
A detailed model of a Fowler 0-6-2 side tank locomotive that ran in Fiji on a sugar cane railway. This engine was manufactured for Brandbright Ltd and was discontinued in 1999.
Michael
Michael was a special produced for a company called SMD Models and was really a Dylan without a saddle tank.
It is now discontinued.

Coal Fired Models
The Shawe Steam Services coal fired models were first announced this year and have gone from strength to strength. Most current and some discontinued Roundhouse models can be had in coal fired form.
See Specialsand also The Ultimate Driving Machine
Billy
Billy was also launched this year and is an 0-4-0 model loosely based on an Arthur Koppel design for a standard small tank locomotive.
He is still available - see Billy in the Models section
Gungadin
Yet another model produced specially for Garden Railway Specialists and still available.
See Specials

1992

Liberty & Bangalore Bell's
See also Liberty Bell Mk. II in 1999
Two specials for Brandbright, both based on the 0-6-2 Fowler. Liberty Bell is a US style 2-6-2 and Bangalore Bell a 'Colonial' style 0-6-2, both with tenders.
Both models are still available

1993
Argyll
This is a model of 0-6-2 Argyll, built In 1906 by Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co. Ltd. of Kilmarnock for the Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway in Scotland.
Argyll is discontinued in 2004.

1994
Lady Anne meths fired slip-eccentric version discontinued and only now available as gas fired Walschaerts.

1995
William Stanley
Two new engines with a continental flavour. William was discontinued in 2007, see William
Stanley was discontinued in 1998.
Lady Anne Update
A complete re-design of the ever poplar Lady Anne to bring it's construction in line with other current models. On the face of it, not a lot of difference, and that was the aim. The superstructure and methods of assembly were however radically different.
'FG' Gas burner
A great deal of effort and expense went into the development of a new gas burner for the internal firing system to overcome a number of shortcommings with the earlier 'bought in' item. The outcome was a system that was far more efficient, stable and quieter and could also be easily produced in quantity at the Roundhouse factory.
Raising Steam Video
The original 'Roundhouse - The Video' had proved extremely popular, but was now quite out of date so a new version was produced, once again all done in house. Discontinued 2005.

1998
Roundhouse Online
The new Roundhouse web site was launched in January this year. For the past two and a half years, Roundhouse had an internet cataloge hosted on another web site, but now had it's own domain name.
Deko
A six coupled version of Billy, produced for our French agent 'Vapeaur Express'.
Billy Kit
The popularity of the Lady Anne kit and constant enquiries for other models in the same format, brought about the introduction of Billy in kit form.
Factory Expansion
The vacant factory unit next door was too much of a temptation at this time when room for extra machinary was required for expansion of production facilities. Our address now became units 6 - 7 and it added about an extra 2000 square feet in available space, check it out in our Virtual Factory Tour. and see how quickly all this extra room was filled.
Katie
Katie was launched at the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers AGM and convention at Stoneleigh and is still in production - see Katie in the Models section.
Russell
Russell was first shown at the Welshpool show this year and is still available - see Russell in the Models section.

1999

Liberty Bell Mk.2
The Brandbright 'Liberty Bell' is re-launched with a face lift.
'FX' gas burner was developed for the external gas firing system on 'Millie'.
Millie
A new range of budget locomotives was launched at the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers convention in March under the heading 'Basic Series'. These are still available - see Models.
Roundhouse Engineering Co. Ltd.
A major re-structuring brings an end to'The Roundhouse Engineering Company' and a new beginning under 'Roundhouse Engineering Co. Ltd.'. Same dedicated team.

2000
Sammie
Sammie is launched at the Small Scale Steamup in Diamondhead Mississippi during January and joins Millie as the second of our 'Basic Series' of models - see Models.
Bertie
Bertie is launched at the Welshpool show in September as the third of our 'Basic Series' of models - see Models.
Forney
The Forney is announced in December as the new addition to our 'Classic Series' of models.
It features a number of radical changes from normal Roundhouse practice - piston valve cylinders, reversing steam valve, articulated power bogie and mixed gas firing system.
The Forney is discontinued in 2004.

2001
Forney update
Originally launched for 45mm gauge only, an 11th hour re-design results in a 32mm gauge version launched in February 2001

2002
Darjeeling 'B' class
Launched at the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers convention in April, this was the most detailed an definately most popular model todate - see Models.

2003
S.R.& R.L.#24 Mk 2
The model undergoes a complete re-design and face lift to bring it in line with current production methods and make improvements. Changes include a fully sprung chassis, white metal castings replaced by more detailed lost wax brass castings and laser cut parts, and extra detailing added - see Models.

2004
Vale of Rheidol 2-6-2
Launched in March and first shown at the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers convention in April, this follows on from the standards set by the Darjeeling 'B' class two years previousley and takes them to new heights. It introduces a few new features to Roundhouse models such as working steam whistle and drain cocks - see Models.
Further Factory Expansion
Once again, another vacant factory unit next door was too much of a temptation at this time when room for extra machinary was required for expansion of production facilities and the old showroom was just too small. Our address now became units 4 - 7 and it added another 2000 square feet in available space, check it out in our Virtual Factory Tour..

2005

Raising Steam Video discontinued
This version of our video had been in production since 1995 and ten years down the line, it is way out of date with regard to production methods and facilities. The decision was taken to discontinue it as of January 2005
Carrie
Launched in April and first shown at the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers convention, this was a new version of the old Charles Pooter locomotive designed using current production methods and with internal gas firing, water top up system etc.
Carrie was discontinued in 2007.

Katie Kit
The popularity of the Lady Anne and Billy kits and constant enquiries for other models in the same format, brought about the introduction of Katie in kit form.

2006

Linda, Blanche & Charles
Launched 1st April and first shown at the Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers convention, this new model comes in three versions - Ffestiniog Railway Linda, Penrhyn Railway Linda or Blanche and Penrhyn Railway Charles. Finally after twenty six years, we get to offer a model of Charles

2007 - 25th Anniversary year.

Silver Lady
As it's also Lady Anne's silver anniversary, we decide to do a special version and named her Silver Lady.
Criccieth Castle
A Roundhouse first, battery powered diesel loco.
Hackworth valve gear
added to home builder parts together with Carrie cylinders. All launched on 31st March at Association of 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers convention.

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