12¼"
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
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'.
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
Close to completion in 2011, although Exmoor was suitably discrete then as to whether it was expected to be used on their own railway or there was a client waiting. In any event, the machine was never finished, and it is not entirely clear whether it has been dismantled, sold or is still in the workshop. It's not clear from the photo whether it was designed to only usea back bunker-mounted water tank, side tanks or both.
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
Exbury Gardens Railway
Locomotive | Gauge | Wheel arrangement | Manufacturer(s) | Date Range | Comments | SpRw | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
315 ROSEMARY | 12¼" | 0-6-2 | | | ||||
316 NAOMI | 12¼" | 0-6-2 | | | ||||
326 MARILOO | 12¼" | 2-6-2 | | |
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
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
'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
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
'Denzil' has spent most of its life at the Exmoor Steam Railway. A tank locomotive, it now has a tender too
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'.
'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