Bassett Lowke's Little Giants - Where are they now?

Greeting again all, I've had a keen interest in the Bassett Lowke 15 inch gauge steam locomotives (affectionally called Little Giants) for quite sometime now, so I was pleased to learn recently that one of the company's Class 10 atlantics ("Red Dragon" once owned by Austin Moss) has been purchased by the Rhyl Miniature Railway to be overhauled and reverted to a more authentic appearance.

Hearing this news though got me thinking, whats happened to the others?

Engineer Henry Greenly designed for Bassett Lowke three classes of atlantics: the class 10s, 20s and 30s, in addition a one off pacific. I'm aware some have unfortunately been scrapped, but I'm curious as to what has happened to rest.

This question extends to the Albert Barnes atlantics too by the way, which were an development of the class 30s.

Does anyone have any knowledge of these engines? Would loved to get some insight.

 

Look out for "Little Giant Story" by Robin Butterell and John Milner, published by RailRomances in 2003. Hard to come by these days and usually sell for around £100 but you will find everything you need in there. Andrew Neale has one currently listed for sale at £100

 

Off the top of my head..

Class 10s

Little Giant is in the NRM
Prince of Wales / Mighty Atom is at Cleethorpes
Red Dragon is at Rhyl
King George V is in California

Class 20

Princess Elizabeth is in California

Class 30

Synolda is at Ravenglass
Count Louis is privately owned and spends a lot of time in a private workshop in the West Midlands

Of the Barnes Atlantics, Joan, Michael, Billy and Railway Queen are in Rhyl
Billie is in storage at the premesis of Preston Steam Services
John is privately owned and in storage (as far as I know)

John

 

Synolda at Ravenglass.

 

There is a book "The Bassett Lowke Story" by Roland Fuller, published in 1984 by New Cavendish Books (ISBN 0 904568 34 2) which has a list of the various locos built in each class and their subsequent history - at least to the 1980s. (Appendix IV, pages 343-344) There is a warning in the main text that record-keeping was not perfect and other locos, not listed, may have also been built!

 

There is another Class 20 in Derbyshire with a private owner "King George" and also a Class 10 in Hungary.
As noted, Butterell and Milner give chapter and verse - plus also the background to "Red Dragon", now at Rhyl, but turning gently into "Prince Edward of Wales".

 

Count Louis

 

Where's this taken?

 

Synolda was out side the new workshop in Ravenglass when we test steamed her. She will be running over August bank holiday with Count Louis.

The picture of Count Louis is in Ravenglass loco shed this spring.

This picture was when we took her to Dalegarth last week

 

This is the whistle which was on River Esk. I guess its a Bassett Lowke. Can any one coment?

 

Synolda running to Dalegarth and back.

 

I reckon that's unlikely, given that Esk was built by Davey, Paxman.

 

There is a not to dissimilar one on Synolda except its a chime. There was also the Bassett Lowkes still around when Esk was built and nothing was thrown away at the Ratty even if it was off or stored from another loco.

 

Little Giant The one in the NRM (York) was on display last time I was there but very poorly sited. It is near the entrance to the Warehouse from the Roundhouse building. Up close to the fence, with no interpretation panel and unlit.


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Count Loius and Synolda at Ravenglass with Katie.

 

Agreed, I was in York the other week and it is a dark coloured loco positioned in shadow and it is very close up to a white picket fence which is nearly the same height as the engine itself! @Anthony Coulls, anything that could be done to improve things?

 

I understood that the loco carrying the name "King George" at the Fairbourne Gala in 2016 was a rebuild of the original Fairbourne loco "Prince Edward of Wales". The Wikipedia "List of Fairbourne Railway rolling stock" says that PEofW was destroyed by fire at Southport in 1931, then rebuilt under the name "Princess Elizabeth" and is now in the USA. So which is correct ?

 

Synolda has gone to Romney for the gala this weekend?