Locomotives at Bressingham
The Fen Railway
Gwynedd
Gwynedd was Built in 1883 by Hunslet as a "Port" class locomotive for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway. Gwynedd worked at the Penrhyn Quarry Railway in North Wales from 1883 to 1954 until it was sold to a private individual in 1965. Alan Bloom stepped in and bought the locomotive in 1966 for £135 after the private individual found too much work to get the locomotive operational. Since then it has been fully rebuilt and has worked on the Fen Railway for more than 50 years. She was most recently overhauled and returned to service in 2016 in its originial late Penrhyn Quarry Railway livery. She visited the Ffestiniog Railway and Bala Lake Railway in 2018.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 2 ft
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1883
Builder : Hunslet
Construction Number : N.o. 316
Cylinder Size : 7" x 10"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 20.25"
Working Boiler Pressure : 120 psi
Weight : 7 tons 10 cwt
Length : 13 ft 10"
Valve Gear : Stephenson's
Wheel Arrangement : 0-4-0ST
Tractive Effort : 2,205 lbs
Operational Status : Operational
George Sholto
George Sholto was Built in 1909 by Hunslet as a "Large Quarry" class locomotive for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway. Alan Bloom purchased George Sholto directly from the Penrhyn Quarry Railway for £100 in 1965 and is the most powerful locomotive on the Fen Railway and has seen service at Bressingham for over 50 years. The locomotive was for a time named "Bill Harvey" in honour of the former British Rail Norwich shed master who helped set up Bressingham Steam Museum. However runs today with its original name which was re-instated in 2011 after an extensive overhaul which saw a new boiler, saddle tank and cab created. Currently under overhaul, the locomotive has visited railways such as the Ffestiniog in 1996 and the PQR (Penrhyn Quarry Railway) in 2012.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 2 ft
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1909
Builder : Hunslet
Construction Number : N.o. 994
Cylinder Size : 7.5" x 10"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 20.25"
Working Boiler Pressure : 120 psi
Weight : 7 tons 12 cwt
Length : 14 ft 6"
Valve Gear : Stephenson's
Wheel Arrangement : 0-4-0ST
Tractive Effort : 2,953 lbs
Operational Status : Under Overhaul
Bevan
Bevan was completed in the Bressingham Workshops in 2010 after arriving at Bressingham as a boiler, frames and cylinders in 2007 as part of an abandoned project by the Cambridge Welding Institute. Bevan is named after the late Bevan Braithwaite, former chairman of Bressingham Steam Preservation Trust. It is loosely based on a Kerr Stuart "Wren" class design.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 2 ft
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 2010
Builder : Bressingham
Construction Number : N.o. 2
Cylinder Size :
Coupled Wheel Diameter :
Working Boiler Pressure : 150 psi
Weight :
Length :
Valve Gear : Hackworth's
Wheel Arrangement : 0-4-0PT-T
Tractive Effort :
Operational Status : Operational
Fernilee
Fernilee is a privately owned vertical boilered locomotive, making it one of the fastest engines to prepare in the morning, due to it raising steam much faster than a traditional horizontal boiler. Built in 2015 by Roger Lee's, it is also one of the newest locomotives in the Bressingham fleet. It moved to Bressingham in late 2017 after the sudden closure of its former home, the Penrhyn Quarry Railway.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 2 ft
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 2015
Builder : Roger Lee's
Construction Number : N.o. 1
Cylinder Size : 6 3/4" x 7"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 19.5"
Working Boiler Pressure : 120 psi
Weight : 3 3/4 tons
Length :
Valve Gear : Stephenson's
Wheel Arrangement : 0-4-0VB-T
Tractive Effort :
Operational Status : Operational
The Waveney Valley Railway
Rosenkavalier
In 1937 Three Locomotives were delivered to Rheinbahn A. G. in Dusseldorf, Germany numbered 1662, 1663 and 1664, named 'Blitz' , 'Donner' and 'Doria' before moving to the Dusseldorf Creative Folk Exposition in the same year. During the Exposition the Locomotives were Renamed 'Dussel' , 'Jan Wellam' and 'Radschlager'. When the Exposition ended the Locomotives moved to Cologne under the ownership of the Cologne-Frechen-Benzelrather Railway (KFBR). Following some years in storage the locomotives featured at the 1900 year celebrationof the city of Cologne in 1950 and the locomotives were renamed 'Arnoldche 1' , 'Arnoldche 2' and 'Arnoldche 3'. The locomotives then visited the German Transport Exhibition in Munich in 1953 and were again renamed 'Rumpelstiltskin' , 'Struwwelpeter' and 'Bavaria-Express'. In 1957 they were fully restored for the Federal Garden Show in Cologne and continued to operate on this line 2 years after the Show had finished. During the show the locomotives recieved their final name changes to 'Rosenkavalier' , 'Männertreu' and 'Fleißiges Lieschen'. Rosenkavalier was purchased along with Männertreu from Cologne by Alan Bloom and with them he formed the 15" Waveney Valley Railway in 1971. In 1976 Sister locomitve 1664 'Fleißiges Lieschen' was purchased from Cologne by the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and renamed to 'Black Prince' meaning all 3 locomotives reside in the UK. Rosenkavalier and Männertreu are sister locomotives and some of the most powerful 4-6-2 15" locomotives in the UK and have been at Bressingham for over 45 years. Rosenkavalier is located in the Exhibition Hall on static display awaiting an overhaul including a new firebox.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 15"
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1937
Builder : Krupp
Construction Number : N.o. 1662
Cylinder Size : 6" x 10"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 22.5"
Working Boiler Pressure : 150 psi
Weight : 9 tons 13 cwt
Length : 24 ft 3.25"
Valve Gear : Walschaerts
Wheel Arrangement : 4-6-2
Tractive Effort : 2,448 lbs
Operational Status : Static Display
Männertreu
In 1937 Three Locomotives were delivered to Rheinbahn A. G. in Dusseldorf, Germany numbered 1662, 1663 and 1664, named 'Blitz' , 'Donner' and 'Doria' before moving to the Dusseldorf Creative Folk Exposition in the same year. During the Exposition the Locomotives were Renamed 'Dussel' , 'Jan Wellam' and 'Radschlager'. When the Exposition ended the Locomotives moved to Cologne under the ownership of the Cologne-Frechen-Benzelrather Railway (KFBR). Following some years in storage the locomotives featured at the 1900 year celebrationof the city of Cologne in 1950 and the locomotives were renamed 'Arnoldche 1' , 'Arnoldche 2' and 'Arnoldche 3'. The locomotives then visited the German Transport Exhibition in Munich in 1953 and were again renamed 'Rumpelstiltskin' , 'Struwwelpeter' and 'Bavaria-Express'. In 1957 they were fully restored for the Federal Garden Show in Cologne and continued to operate on this line 2 years after the Show had finished. During the show the locomotives recieved their final name changes to 'Rosenkavalier' , 'Männertreu' and 'Fleißiges Lieschen'. Rosenkavalier was purchased along with Männertreu from Cologne by Alan Bloom and with them he formed the 15" Waveney Valley Railway in 1971. In 1976 Sister locomitve 1664 'Fleißiges Lieschen' was purchased by the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and renamed to 'Black Prince'. Rosenkavalier and Männertreu are sister locomotives and some of the most powerful 4-6-2 15" locomotives in the UK and have been at Bressingham for over 45 years. The engine has begun an overhaul and the continued restoration will continue publicly to allow the public to learn about engineering and steam engines. Please see the "Krupps" page for more details.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 15"
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1937
Builder : Krupp
Construction Number : N.o. 1662
Cylinder Size : 6" x 10"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 22.5"
Working Boiler Pressure : 150 psi
Weight : 9 tons 13 cwt
Length : 24 ft 3.25"
Valve Gear : Walschaerts
Wheel Arrangement : 4-6-2
Tractive Effort : 2,448 lbs
Operational Status : Under Overhaul
St Christopher
Built by the Exmoor Steam Railway in 2001 for a private individual, it worked for 10 years on the Windmill Farm Railway until being purchased by the Bressingham Steam Preservation Trust in 2011 in time for Bressingham's 50th Anniversary Celebrations. Having arrived in exmoor blue, during an overhaul in 2018 it was outshopped in red. It's modern design has proved successful and popular with drivers and visitors.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 15"
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 2001
Builder : Exmoor Steam Railway
Construction Number : N.o. 311
Cylinder Size :
Coupled Wheel Diameter :
Working Boiler Pressure : 150 psi
Weight : Approx 4 tons
Length : 11 ft 2"
Valve Gear : Walschaerts
Wheel Arrangement : 2-6-2T
Tractive Effort :
Operational Status : Under Overhaul
Garden Railway
Alan Bloom
Alan Bloom was built by Phil Gray and finshed in the Bressingham Workshop in 1995, being the first new build locomotive to be built at Bressingham. Its design is based on a scaled down version of the Large Quarry Hunslet "George Sholto" making it suprisingly powerful for its size. It has been in service for 25 years and has been a reliable performer over the years.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 10 1/4"
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1995
Builder : Bressingham/ Phil Gray
Construction Number : N.o. 1
Cylinder Size : 3.5" x 8"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 13.5"
Working Boiler Pressure : 150 psi
Weight : 3 tons 5 cwt
Length : 14 ft 11.25"
Valve Gear : Stephenson's
Wheel Arrangement : 0-4-0ST-T
Tractive Effort : 1,368 lbs
Operational Status : Operational
Standard Gauge Railway
Martello
Martello is the oldest working exhibit at Bressingham being built for the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway in 1875. In 1912 it was rebuilt it with larger cylinders and a new boiler as the A1X class. It has also seen service under the Southern Railway and then British Railways, being retired in 1963 after completing 1,505,955 miles in service over its lifetime. Martello was then bought by Butlins for display in Ayr at one of its holiday camps. Purchased by Bressingham in 1971 it remained static until it first returned to steam in 2006 through a National Lottery Grant and spent 7 years travelling the UK's heritage railways, being withdrawn from service in 2011. A volunteer led project returned Martello to steam in 2016 in its Southern livery and continues today in service on special occasions.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 4 ft 8 1/2"
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1875
Builder : LB&SCR
Construction Number : N.o. 62
Cylinder Size : 14 3/16" x 20"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 48"
Working Boiler Pressure : 150 psi
Weight : 28 tons
Length : 26 ft 1/2"
Valve Gear : Stephenson's
Wheel Arrangement : 0-6-0T
Tractive Effort : 10,695 lbs
Operational Status : Operational
King Haakon VII
King Haakon VII was built in Sweden by Nydquist and Holm in 1919 and was used by the Norweign State Railway. This particular locomotive is famous due to a story that during World War II it was used to haul a train in 1940 carrying the King of Norway, King Haakon VII, and his Government from Oslo to Molde, in their flight from the invading German Army. King Haakon VII was brought to the UK in 1971 by a private individual and having moved around several railways after a few years settled at Bressingham in 1981. In 2006 the locomotive was returned to steam though a Heritage Lottery Grant. The locomotive has a spacious cab and was well liked by locomotive crews. It was withdrawn in 2011 needing a major work to the motion and front boiler support. In 2016 the Locomotive was cosmetically altered and used in the film "Tarzan" and is currently located in the Locomotive Shed in this guise.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 4 ft 8 1/2"
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1919
Builder : NOHAB
Construction Number : N.o. 1164
Cylinder Size : 17" x 24"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 54"
Working Boiler Pressure : 170 psi
Weight : 60 tons 18 cwt
Length : 47 ft 1/4"
Valve Gear : Walschaerts
Wheel Arrangement : 2-6-0
Tractive Effort : 18,650 lbs
Operational Status : Static Display
William Francis
Built by Beyer Peacock in 1937, William Francis worked at Baddesley Colliery until 1966. It was bought by a private individual and moved to Bressingham in 1968 and steamed last in 1980. The locomotive stayed in private hands at Bressingham until 2013 where it was kindly donated to the Museum. It is hoped to cosmetically restore the locomotive and potentially return it to steam with a partnership with another railway. It is the only surviving standard gauge Garratt in Britain making it vitally important to preserve this for future generations.
Technical specifications
Gauge : 4 ft 8 1/2"
Motive Power : Steam
Year Built : 1937
Builder : Beyer Peacock & Co.
Construction Number : N.o. 6841
Cylinder Size : 13 1/2" x 20"
Coupled Wheel Diameter : 40"
Working Boiler Pressure : 180 psi
Weight : 54 tons 16 1/2 cwt
Length : 48 ft 3"
Valve Gear : Walschaerts
Wheel Arrangement : 0-4-0 + 0-4-0T
Tractive Effort : 27,844 lbs
Operational Status : Static Display
