SEL Stationaries (Signalling Equipment Ltd)

The SEL range of Model Steam engines were manufactured in the late 1940s and 1950s by J & L Randall. These models were later to be branded as Merit in I think the later 1950s and into the early 1960s.

I currently have three SEL Engines in my collection, the 1550 Major, the 1540 Standard and the 1530 Junior. I shall hopefully aquire the 1520 Minor when the opportunity presents itself, thus completing my stable of SEL Stationary Engines.

The SEL 1530 Junior.

The SEL 1530 Junior is one of SELs smallest Engines, just a little larger than the 1520 Minor (which I still intend to aquire).

The 1530 has a base approximately 95mm x 102mm and the whole Engine stands no taller than 105mm high.

The 1530 Junior has a single wick meths fuelled spirit lamp, a safety valve and water level screw, yet no inline oil feed as do the larger SEL Engines.

These little Engines have a driveshaft that passes through the firebox and this in turn has a brass pulley wheel on the opposite side of the firebox to the red flywheel. The piston assembly sits on an aluminium bracket that is original yet looks like an afterthought !!.

I would date this engine at around 1960 as it has the "later" two sided base with no name plate suggesting it could have been made under "merit" and the later more colourful box as well. The other plus............it runs perfectly, just like a well timed Swiss watch.

The SEL 1550 Major.

This Engine was a gift from my wife in 2008. It is in full working order and still has its original burner, filler funnel, box AND original Instruction sheet with part of the instructions depicting, "You are the Engineer, in charge of your own Engine..........."!!. This particular model dates from I think the early 1950s.

The 1550 is a twin cylindered model with a red handled whistle and an inline oil feeder situated inbetween the two piston cylinder housings.

The SEL 1540 Standard.

This Model 1540 Standard is the smaller of my two SELs and is a single cylinder Engine. Again as with my other SEL, this 1540 is complete with original twin wick burner, filler funnel and box. This little Engine also dates from the early 1950s.

.....an inline oil feeder is again incorporated into the design of this Engine and again, another perfect runner 60 years on!.

All three SEL Engines in my collection are as far as I am aware, in original condition.