Just got my hands on this. Once I've worked out the best way to convert it to three rail, it will end up being a bit different from the way you see it here.
It is not exactly in mint condition (a bit of body damage to some parts I will be removing anyway, plus there is a badly repaired crack on one side of the tender), so I have no issues with performing plastic surgery on it. And, in any case, it only cost me £35.00
Dear Wolseley, 1 / GBP 35 - is probably what is cost to buy brand new ! For its time, an impressive RTR locomotive, and except for the wheels, still pretty good by today's standards. 2 / Cornard Models used to make a 4mm white metal kit of the Austerity 2-8-0 ( BR 90xxx ) which utilised the loco and tender chassis as the power unit. There were alternate tender sizes, so you had the choice of either a shorter length tender that matches the Joueff tender wheel base, or longer scale size, which meant the tender would need to be altered to suit. 3 / contrary to some opinion, the prototype utilised American components to a SNCF specification, and not an American design modified for the SNCF. Best wishes and regards, Echidna.