Beck Anna

This is a 1981 Beck Anna in pretty much pristine condition. However the loco has several non-standard fittings.
Beck Annas came in two colours, black or green, the green ones had green boilers, the black ones black boilers.
This one seems to be a hybrid! The front buffer beam has been replaced and the rear buffer beam has been modified
to match the new front one. The original curved metal loop couplers have been replaced with Roundhouse types.
Anna originally had two dummy lamps fixed to the running boards at the front not one on the smokebox. The
regulator is normally a black plastic knob the same as the gas control valve and the safety valve has been replaced.
Also, unusally this Anna is 32mm when they were generally 45mm. Despite the addition of a crank & control rod for
the regulator this loco is not RC. Video here.

Thanks to Ian Pearse who actually worked at Merlin Locomotive Works i now know a lttle more about Anna.
He believes that my Anna has a cast chassis developed by Alec Mathesson, these chassis were not used until
after 1986 which helps to date the locomotive. The 1981 date is from the boiler plate, which would have come
from the stock that Alec Mathesson & Tom Cooper bought from Beck when the company folded.

Now sporting some boiler bands and a brass dome from Garden Railway Specialists.

Anna only ever had one nameplate so i decided to etch two new ones from brass for her.

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