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Question:

Does anyone have any information on the Canadian live steam locomotive designs of P.E. Hunt (Percy Eldon Hunt) and do they still exist anywhere? Also, does anyone remember Mr. Hunt and if so can they provide any background information on him?

Background:

P. E. Hunt was one half of a live steam locomotive design team (together with J.A. Josslin) which produced a number of Canadian (and many other) live steam locomotive designs in 2.5" gauge. The Canadian locomotive designs of Hunt were mentioned in the live steam model making magazines of the day such as The Model Engineer, English Mechanics and the Modelmaker starting in the late 1920's and continuing into the 30's; however, none of Hunt's designs were ever believed to have been published. The design team of Josslin/Hunt also worked for LBSC and produced a number of designs to his specifications. LBSC mentions the Josslin/Hunt designs in a number of his writings up until the early 50's (The Model Engineer). Some of the designs mentioned were concepts only with little, if any, detailed information provided. However, a number of designs incorporating both English and American live steam locomotive design practice (hybrids) were produced in 2.5" gauge with detailed drawings which still exist today. Alex Josslin was the second President of TSME from 1934 to 1937. As a result, the Toronto Society has a number of historic photos and background information on him. However nothing is known about P.E. Hunt. Josslin did produce a set of detailed drawings (undated) under his logo of "Pedigreed Locomotive Designs" for a New York Central (NYC) J1b live steam locomotive in 3/4" scale. On many of these drawings the initials P.E. Hunt appear so it is certain that Hunt was also involved in this design. While incomplete, what is there is very well executed. The writer obtained a set of these drawings in the early 1990's from a Mr. Howard Hunt (his son?). Notes compiled by TSME Archivist