PEDEMOURA Steam for first time in since 1960's

Privately owned loco steamed first time since 1960.

This will hopefully lead to the steam test in the near future

 

Superb did she used to be based at the WHR?

 

Yes, about twenty five years ago.

Ex Portugal (Empresa Carbonifera do Douro Mine)
To Pleasurerail, Knebworth House, Herts, 31/8/1972.
To Welsh Highland Railway 19/6/1973.
To John Quentin, private location, Hereford, 8/1991.
To LBNGRS 23/1/2005.

Nice to see it in steam.

 

Pedemoura was never owned by John Quentin. I think Ken has confused it with OK 9239 which left Gelert Farm c27/8/1991.
The current owners collected Pedemoura (in a dismantled state as a collection of bits) from the Welsh Highland Railway, Portmadog.

 

I do believe you are right. Mistake on my part. Apologies. Thank you for the correction.

 

Delighted to see this locomotive restored after languishing for so long, an excuse to visit my Mother in Bletchley very soon!!

Ever so slightly off-topic, the loco shed at Pages Park shown behind the loco in the photograph has survived long enough now to be a listed structure in it's own right, I remember the cladding going on circa 1969!!

Cheers

Alan

 

I thought part of the shed is the origional shed that housed the 40hp Simplexes back in the 1920's

 

Page's Park shed was constructed by the Iron Horse Railway Preservation Society in early 1968, as a small two road shed. It was extended at the rear in 1979 and widened to three roads, in 1979-1980. Since then it has been extended at the front and widened again to provide a short 4th road and a workshop. It was therefore not part of the industrial railway. The Leighton Buzzard Light Railways sheds were much closed to Billington Road and on land now covered by modern housing estates, while the quarry company's Joseph Arnold & Sons and George Garside kept their locomotives on the other side of Billington Road.

However the roof trusses, timber and cladding used in 1968, were obtained from buildings in George Garside's former depot on the other side of Billington Road, which were about to be demolished. This depot was also used briefly to house the Iron Horse Railway Preservation Society Simplex diesels, as the Page's Park shed was not ready. Moving these across Billington Road was not straight forward as the level crossing had been removed, and was necessary use short sections of temporary track which were laid in front of the loco and then lifted behind it, while traffic was directed around the obstruction.

 

Congratulations on steaming Pedemoura for the first time after all these years. A huge achievement by all concerned at the LBNGR.
On the subject of the Pages Park Shed, here's a photo of the first phase part built in 1968.