Freelance
Statfold Barn Railway was looking for a large, powerful 12.25" locomotive and that could only mean a visit to the Exmoor Steam Railway. Could the family be pursuaded to build just one more? It could, and 'Carol Ann' emerged in early 2024, three years after the last machine to leave the works
Previously 191 'Lorna Doone'. It was renamed 'John Remy' in 2001 and worked at Beale Park. In 2018, it was bought by the Littlehampton Miniature Railway which was desperate for motive power. It emerged from another rebuild and regauging exercise in 2021 as 'Christopher', a 12.25" gauge 2-6-2T, and now works in that form at Littlehampton
Very little is known about this locomotive
This loco was built as a bare 2-4-2 chassis for the 12.25" gauge Ashorne Light Railway, where it was completed as a petrol-hydraulic and named 'Bella'. This attractive freelance narrow gauge machine was powered by a Coventry Climax Godiva fire-pump engine, circa 1942. In 2015 it was regauged to 10.25" by Michael Whitehouse, working at the Wilderness Railway as 'Glyder', then the Barnwell Hill Railway in Swalcliffe, where it was renamed 'Agnes'.
'Sapphire' might well turn out to be the last Exmoor Steam Railway locomotive. It was built in 2021 for 'Pugneys' Miniature Railway of Wakefield. Like several of the later machines, it was a tender loco
Exquisitely finished, but perhaps needing another inch or two of height? Enough armchair punditry. This is a rare diesel loco from Exmoor, and indeed one of the very last locomotives to come out of this famous locomotive works
Exmoor had only built steam engines before 'Eddy', but the Exbury Gardens railway wanted a small diesel for shunting duties and works trains, so Exmoor agreed tobuild one on the frames of a 24-inch gauge Hunslet diesel
'Brasken' is thought to have spent its whole life on a private railway in Sweden
Built as 'River Churnet', a 12.25" 2-4-2T, it was regauged soon afterwards to 10.25" and sold to the Rudyard Lake Railway
1998 to Domain Hengelhoef Light Railway, Genk, Belgium. By 1990 in storage. 2015 to Windmill Farm Railway, UK. 2015 to dealers Station Road Steam.2016 believed sold to France, unconfirmed.
Construction started 1990 at Shepley, W.Yorks. Completed at Clayton West.
Designed by builder for his own Kirklees Light Railway, 2015 extensive overhaul.
Built to designs of David Curwen. Built to the order of Jack Woodruffe for his Rhiw Valley Light Railway.
Construction started 1989 by Rhiw Valley Light Rly. as an 0-4-2T, but ceased 01/1991. Later continued by T.M.A. and completed as an 0-4-2 tender loco.
Built to designs of builder's chief engineers Tom Jones and Ian Smith. New boiler built 2003, fitted 2010.
Built to 1954 designs of H.H.Coughlan, Newbury. Used on builder's garden railway at Albourne Green,W.Sussex. Builder started with the cylinders, wheels and boiler already built by Coughlan, acquired from David Curwen. 11/1994 acquired by William and David Best, Bredgar, Kent. Named JACK in honour of the builder.
Boiler hidden in firebox space. At some time said to have been in a museum at Colwyn Bay. Builder died in 1937. Remained in builder's estate until sold in 1976 to a private owner near Stockport, Cheshire. 09/09/1997 removed to Windmill Farm Min.Rly. Lancashire.
'Jack' was built in 2016 for the Delamont Miniature Railway near Killyleagh in Northern Ireland. An unusual tender locomotive, it's still with the railway today
'George' was built for the Poole Park Miniature Railway, and worked there very sucessfully, bringing steam (and passengers) back to this once busy railway. Then the local authority convinced itself 10.25" gauge was dangerous, closed it down, vowing on expert advice to reopen at 12.25", but it ended up being rebuilt at 10.25", although by that time toperator Chris Bullen and 'George' had long since departed to a new line at Honeybrook Farm near Wimborne. That venture subsequently failed and 'George' has disappeared - for now at least.
Delivered new to South Downs Light Railway
Phalaenopsis sounds as though it might a roman god of steely grit and power, but it's actually a genus of orchids containing about 70 species. All very fitting, because the locomotive has lived it's life at the Mortacombe Railway, Chilton Garden Centre near Didcot
Built for failed Tintern Abbey Railway project. Delivered to Scarborough Fair Collection and put on static display. Bought by Statfold Barn Railway near Tamworth for the new Mease Valley Railway in 2023
New as 12 1/4 inch gauge to a private line in Cornwall, little used. In 2011 returned to builders, regauged to 15 inch, 2017 to Lappa Valley Rly.
A company building locomotives on Exmoor simply had to have one (or in this case two) called 'Lorna Doone'. Confusingly this was the second 12.25" 'Lorna Doone' built for the railway's own use, the first (works number 191) having been rebuilt and sold as a 10.25" locomotive in 2001. Still thought to be at Exmoor.
'Mariloo' was the first of three 12.25" gauge 2-6-2s, 'Mariloo' going to Exbury Gardens, 325 'Black Beauty' to Ree Park Safari in Denmark and 350 'Carol Ann' to the Mease Valley Railway at Statfold Barn in 2024. They are amongst the largest and most powerful 12.25" locomotives ever built
'Black Beauty' is a twin with 'Mariloo', built for Exbury Gardens. They were considered to be amongst the largest and most powerful 12.25" locomotives in the world when they were built in 2009. 'Black Beauty' was tested at Exbury, before being delivered to its new home at Ree Park Safari near Aarhus in Denmark
'King Arthur' has spent its whole life on the 10.25" Rudyard Lake Railway, but was designed for easy conversion to 12.25" should the need ever arrise. It's one of the most powerful 10.25" steam engines, and probably the largest (ie tallest and widest) locomotive to run at this gauge.
Built to order of John Hayton for his Longleat Light Railway, Wiltshire, and named JOHN HAYTON. In 2015 it was sold to the Perrygrove Railway, removed 20/02/2015, and renamed ANNE. In 10/2015 it was away for heavy overhaul near Witney, Oxon.
'Pulborough' has had a very stable existence, at the South Downs Light Railway from new. Named after the local town in West Sussex
'Naomi' was the third Exmoor locomotive at Exbury, bigger and more powerful than No.315 'Rosemary'.
The first of a fleet of Exmoor engines built for Leo de Rothschild's new 12.25" Exbury Gardens Railway
New to private owner on Evesham Vale Light Rly.
Ordered by Quentin Jones for service at Windmill Farm Railway, Burscough, Lancashire. 23/04/2010 sold to dealers Station Road Steam. Later in 2010 resold to Bressingham Steam Preservation Trust for their Waveney Valley Railway.
Quite a complicated history. 'Lorna Doone' was Exmoor's third locomotive, built as a 0-6-0T to 12.25" gauge for the Exmoor Steam Railway. In 2001 it was rebuilt as a 10.25" 0-6-2T - see separate entry for 310. It was renamed 'John Remy' and subsequently worked at Beale Park. In 2018, it was bought by the Littlehampton Miniature Railway which was desperate for motive power. It emerged in 2021 as 'Christopher', a 12.25" gauge 2-6-2T, and now works in that form at Littlehampton
New to Pixieland Miniature Railway, Kilkhampton, Cornwall, named DENNIS. By 09/10/2007 the Brooklands Adventure Park and railway had closed, so returned to builders. On 29/06/2015 sold to Lappa Valley Rly, renamed RUBY, given running # 3.
Delivered new to a private owner at the Wotton Light Railway in 1996. In 2015 she went to A. Keef Ltd. for overhaul.
'Markeaton Lady' went new to Markeaton Park Light Railway in Derby in 1996. In 10/2009 she was sold to Evesham Vale Light Rly. By 2014 she had been renamed 'Monty'.
'Denzil' has spent most of its life at the Exmoor Steam Railway. A tank locomotive, it now has a tender too
Tender locomotive built, but not for sale, or at least not in early 2023
Built for the 12.25" gauge Ashorne Light Railway and named 'Ashorne'. Later sold to Rudyard Lake Railway, regauged to 10.25" and named 'Pendragon'. 'Ashorne' was one of a pair with 298 'Bella', which was built as a bare chassis by Exmoor and completed by the Ashorne Light Railway as petrol-hydraulic 'Bella', which was also subsequently regauged to 10.25", working at the Wilderness Railway, and now the Barnwell Hill Railway as 'Agnes'.
Delivered new to the Rudyard Lake Railway
03/10/1992 ordered by Michael Crofts for his Perrygrove Railway. First steamed 16/07 /1993. 2002-04/2003 at builder's for 10 year overhaul. 2014 chassis to Jim Shackell, near Witney for overhaul, given new wheels and pistons. 13/07 2015 returned to service.
Thought to be with a private owner in Sussex
'Yeo Valley' was the Exmoor Steam Railway's second locomotive, and much bigger than the first loco 'Bray Valley'. It had a 2-8-0T wheel arrangement, but doesn't seem to have been a big success, and is the only Exmoor locomotive to date to have been dismantled and recycled
Bray Valley has had a long and complicated life. It was originally built as a 7.25" gauge locomitive for the Stirling family's proposed tourist railway on Exmoor, but after a last minute change to the much bigger 12.25" gauge, it was hastily widenedn and regauged 10 12.25". Beneath the skin, of course, it was still fundamentally a little engine, and not really powerful enough, so it was regauged back to 10.25" and sold to a private owner in Wales
A massif rebuild of Heywood's 0-8-0T MURIAL of 1894, using the old frames and running gear. Entered service 01/08/1927. New boiler 1978.
'Merrie England' was a Curwen Atlantic delivered from new to Weymouth in 1953, painted in an impractical cream livery and named in honour of Councillor England of Weymouth Borough Council . It had strange streamlined shrouds added for reasons unknown by a manager at Curwen's. It was not liked at Weymouth and either remained their on emergency duty or was returned to David Curwen Ltd. In 1964 it was sold to David Murcott of Sutton Coldfield, moving with the family to Goginan near Aberystwyth, where it lay disused in a shed waiting for a running line that was never completed.
Built in 1952 for the Skegness Miniature Railway, but returned the following year and sent to the Weymouth Miniature Railway, where it was named 'Black Prince'. Operated the railway almost single-handedly from 1953 to closure in 1971. It was then sold to Jack Doyle of Burnage, Manchester and operated for a short time on a portable railway in the Manchester district.
Built using the Poultney tender chassis and motion removed in 1931 from RIVER ESK. Building commenced 07/1964. Delivered by road hauled by a steam road locomotive. Entered service 05/05/1967.New boiler 2002.
Built to designs of David Curwen. Appears to be only steam loco. built by Berwyn. Built to order of Les. Anderson, trading as Minirail Ltd. for his new line at Longleat House. Wiltshire. Steamed regularly until 1974. Removed to Minirail's new venture The Axe and Lyme Valley Railway, near Lyme Regis, Dorset , arrived there 11/1974. This line never completed, Minirail in liquidation, assets sold by auction 03/10/1976, purchased by Lappa Valley Steam Rly. April 1991 rebuild by N.J. Tambling, Camborne, Cornwall.