For a while I've been considering what motive power to provide for the HLR.

I like Irish Narrow Gauge and larger British NG such as the SKLR and W&L.

It will be built around the Farish 08 chassis with outside frames using plasticard, boiler fittings from whitemetal and some custom etched bits and bobs.

The loco I've decided to build first is a large tank loco. Initially I wanted to build a 4-6-4T based on this 4-6-2T from the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway, but it's not possible to make a loco of that wheel arrangement based on that chassis without it being much longer than the prototype and losing any of the appearance that I chose it for.

So, after an abortive attempt at a 4-6-4T where I realised that it just wasn't feasible I've arrived at the following design.

The name, Island class? Well I'm going to model a class of these and they're all going to be named after some of the Hebridean islands. The first will, naturally, be 'Skye', followed by 'Lewis' and 'Harris'.