WHEN Philip Sampson told his younger brother Keith he was going to give him a “super model”, this may not have been quite what he expected.

In fact, the younger brother was blown away by what he got.

This two-foot long miniature steam train is an exact replica of Stephenson’s Rocket – made almost entirely out of Meccano. Model fanatic Philip could not buy all the pieces he needed, so he created the rest himself out of metal.

The 67-year-old, who lives in Park Avenue, Kidlington, said: “I couldn’t believe it myself when I was finished.”

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The intricate 12-spoke front wheel was made from a solid piece of steel – the product of two weeks’ dedicated crafting, hand-sawing, filing and drilling. The tiny lamps on the train’s front are also hand-made from brass, and more besides.

In total, the train has about 500 movable parts, many of them just millimetres across.

The combination of Meccano and handmade pieces is what makes it a “super model” in the Meccano world.

Philip’s brother now proudly displays the model at his house just around the corner in Roundham Close, Kidlington. He said: “What Phil can do with his hands, with wood, metal – anything, it’s quite astonishing.”

The project began last October when Keith told his brother of his fascination with Stephenson’s Rocket, the revolutionary steam train which won the 1829 Rainhill Trials on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.

Keith, 61, a father of two who works as a BT engineer at RAF Brize Norton, said: “It’s utterly amazing.

“Phil knows my love of detail, but his love of detail goes beyond the comprehension of men.”

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