An interesting engine from an interesting railway. The idea of a double track main line for coal across the Lincolnshire Wolds terminating at a new coal port at Sutton on Sea is also "interesting" (the one railway that attempted to tackle the Wolds - the Louth and Lincoln - had a ruling gradient of 1 in 70) . Contemplating the engineering obstacles of skirting Lincoln, crossing the Witham and assaulting the Wolds, one begins to see exactly why the LD&EC stopped where it did

There was an article with drawings in the Railway Modeller (I think) about 25 years ago. Apparently the key factor driving the order was water and coal capacity - the LD&EC had running powers from Lincoln to Grimsby, but the 0-6-2Ts couldn't make it that far without a stop for refreshment at Lincoln. The issue will have disappeared as soon as the GC took over - they had enough Robinson 0-6-0, 0-8-0 and 2-8-0 locos to do the job

There was also a glorious quote cited from the contemporary magazine The Engineer - "a long-time sceptic in matters LD&EC" - reporting the order : "This railway doubtless requires a new type of engine. We think it requires a new type of management rather more."

They lasted well - the final survivor went 5 months short of Nationalisation as class M1 (Class M2 was the Met 0-6-4Ts) 

I think the RM article you mention is the one I'm using; it's got that wonderful quote from The Engineer in it (appeared in the April 1978 RM). 

There's a glorious chapter about the LDECR in Vol.3 of Dow's Great Central; on coming out of Lincoln it was planned to tunnel under Steep Hill.  I genuinely cannot see how that might have been done- I'm sure the Cathedral Chapter would have had something to say about that!  That's even assuming Lincoln could have absorbed another railway running through it without becoming hopelessly snarled up (the level crossings are still an issue today and I have 'fond' memories of them from my time as a student there 10 years ago....)

Hahaha; I originally bought the kit with the intention of turning it into a Met 0-6-4. I can't remember if I ever did find a drawing of what became the M2s; if I did I can't remember what I did with it.  The boiler I think is a little high, about .75- 1mm, but in all honesty I don't think the effort involved in cutting up the casting to lower it would make such a difference as to be worthwhile. 

Tunnel under Steep Hill?? That combines engineering and commercial insanity with aesthetic and historical vandalism. Presumably the engineers were aiming straight for the Minster in the hope of scoring a bullseye on the foundations of the central tower? Sheer utter madness on every posible level

"In Linocln itself the LD&EC, after leaving Pyewipe Junction (GN & GE joint line) was to cross the valley and pierce the hill to the south of the cathedral and be served by a station on the east side of the city."- Great Central, Vol.3, p.154.