Tri-ang Australian

Moldex R258 Red Princess Royal Locomotive

and R34 Tender

Tri-ang Railways

1964 – 1967

This illustration was used in the 1964 and 1965 Australian Catalogues and shows a UK made locomotive with an Australian made tender.

This illustration was used in the 1964, 65, 66 & 67 Australian Catalogues as part of the RS21 and R4B sets and shows an Australian model without valve gear. The captions described the R258 used in sets as not having valve gear, but this would not seem to be the case, as the models in sets that have survived invariably have valve gear fitted.

This is the normal version of the Australian R258 ‘Princess Royal’. The correct name of ‘The Princess Royal’ was too large for the nameplate and Moldex never modified it. The model was available separately in 1964 – 66 as well as in the RS21 set in 1964 – 65 and the R4B ‘Countryman’ set in 1966 and 1967. Like the Australian R53, the tender lining transfer was the same as the one used on the UK made R258 and it did not fit the Australian tender properly.

This model was in production for the longest period of any of the Australian made Princesses and different versions can be found. This one has a red tender underframe, instead of the more common black one. The tender underframe was usually moulded in black plastic, but can be found moulded in red and sometimes a red moulding painted black was used. This model dates to 1964 and has managed to escape the factory without being properly lined out.

The loco cabside lining and number was usually heat printed in yellow, but some early models can be found with UK transfers on the cab as well as the tender. Moldex seems to have had major problems applying these on the R258. When new they were sticky and very fragile. Most models found either have them missing completely, or badly damaged by handling, like the tender on the left. Tenders like the one on the right with the transfers still intact after 40 years are rare.

A rare black version of the Moldex R258 ‘Princess Royal’ also exists. This loco. has been named, lined and numbered in white using the normal R258 tools and the tender has the same BR totem with a red background and yellow/black lining transfers used on the red version. The loco body and tender body have been moulded in black, but the tender underframe is a red moulding that has been painted black.

The model is not listed in any Australian catalogue or pricelist and was possibly only made for use in the Moldex custom made set coded GB1, dating to 1966 – 67.

Information and photographs Graeme Brown