Introducing our first diesel loco for the 009 Narrow Lines range: The Fowler & Co. Resilient Class 4wD.
The name John Fowler is held in high regard by steam enthusiasts, but the company’s legacy and fan base are primarily not that of railway locomotives, but those that ran on roads and farmers’ fields. John Fowler & Co. of Leeds produced some of the finest steam-powered traction engines and farming vehicles ever built.
Not one to shy away from innovation, Fowler & Co. clearly understood the direction transport technology was heading and, as early as 1902, began working on early renditions of the internal combustion engine.
Sadly, the first traction engines to be fitted with internal combustion engines were not a success. But as the technology evolved, Fowler experimented further, and fitted their first railway locomotive with an IC engine in 1914.
Results were mixed and early petrol renditions were proving on par, but not better, than their steam-powered predecessors economically. Fowler & Co. would make a complete success of the idea in the 1930s by utilising a diesel engine instead of petrol.
Having produced lots of narrow gauge steam locomotives for industrial work, the company designed many of its diesels with a similar spec in mind. This made them ideal for construction projects, quarries and aggregate haulage.
One of these designs was a 4wD and was assigned as the Resilient Class.
In 1936, Fowler & Co. built four diesel locomotives for the Essex Water Authority to aid in the construction of the Abberton Reservoir near Colchester. Once they served their purpose, three of the four locos were sold in 1939 to the Alpha Cement Company for their site at Cliffe in Kent. These locos were named Abberton, Layer, and Peldon.
The locos continued to work the quarry until 1962, and the works subsequently closed in its entirety in 1970. Much of the remaining rolling stock was simply left to fall into a state of disrepair in the middle of the quarry.
Layer and Peldon were saved by the Brockham Museum Association, and No. 21295 Peldon would later be transferred to Amberley Museum in 1982. After extensive restoration from a derelict state, Peldon re-entered service in 1987.
Just like their steam predecessors, versions of the Resilient Class were built for railways across the world, and versions have survived into preservation in both India and Australia.
The Rapido Trains UK highly detailed 009 Gauge rendition of the Fowler & Co. Resilient Class 4wD will be available in a variety of liveries.
All versions are available in both DCC-Ready and DCC-Fitted versions. They feature a small coreless motor, a MoPower stay-alive, and an E24 DCC decoder socket.
Sourcing parts to customise models can often be challenging, so we have made it as simple as possible by including a detail bag full to the brim with interesting and easy-to-fit parts. With a huge number of combinations, we are sure you will have great fun personalising your models.
These detailed parts include dumb buffers, vacuum brake gear, a grille cover, cab doors, and a selection of different front and rear headlights.
For modellers who prefer etched brass plates, the detail bag will also include painted name, build, and bonnet front manufacturer plates appropriate to the relevant version.
Order your 009 Fowler ‘Resilient’ model now by clicking on the item below:
