Narrow Gauge New Builds

The Scarborough Sipat has turned a wheel for the first time, albeit on air. Footage on the NBR's Facebook page.

 

Quite excited about the Sipat, it'll look magnificent!

 

As a matter of interest, does anybody know the current status of the RHDR 'Duchess'?

 

It is quoted that In the McGrath/Rowlands/Francis complilation on the Tralee & Dingle that TDLR 2-6-2T was reputadly considered for the IOMR upon the closure of the system at one point! whether any evidence exists or not I do not know, but Walter McGrath was certainly one of the most if not the most famous railway author

 

Well, if the current moves in Ireland to get 5T up and running again bear fruit, then I for one would love to see her visit the Isle of Man, and then we can see whether she would have been a good acquisition or not! I know it would be an expensive move but perhaps fundraising could make it happen?

 

Suspect there would be loading gauge problems.

PH

 

I notice that the Brecon Mountain Railway website was updated towards the end of last year and that quite a lot of progress has been made with the two replica Sandy River locos, with many components now in hand.

 

Its a pity that unlike the rest of Europe & of course Ireland we had very few public narrow gauge railways.

 

From a quick look round it appears that not a lot has happened to it since the death of its owner Paul Riley, the only thing is it was moved to New Romney for storage to decide its future. http://z1.ifrm.com/7050/44/0/p1003777/Duchess.jpg

 

Many thanks for this. There's much more of it than I thought. I had it in mind that it was just a set of frames and wheels.

 

So what is the current state of play with narrow gauge new builds? Off the top of my head we have:

'Brown Bear'
'Lyn'
Brecon Mountain Railway Nos 3 & 4
The North Bay 'Sipat'
The Romney 'Duchess'

Even if you discount "commercial" builds from the likes of Alan Keef there must be a few more than that. Any advance on six?

 

There's also:

L&B 'Yeo' although this project is currently stalled until 'Lyn' is completed.
Southwold Railway 'Blyth'


Keith

 

What about Corris Number 10? A Falcon for the 21st century. This is making good progress. We have a boiler and frames complete. Current work is on the axle boxes and the production of wheel castings. A number of other castings await machining. Progress is only constrained by the availability of funds. As we raise the money another stage is completed.

 

Station Road Steam are building at leat two "Sipat"s

 

Lots of our favourite NG locos are preservation era "new builds", some now quite venerable in their own right (now older than all but pre-grouping locos at the end of steam on BR) including River Mite (and Northern Rock), Earl of Merioneth (plus David Lloyd George, Taliesin & Lyd), all of the Bure Valley locos, Statfold, Jack Lane, several Wrens, etc.

 

Good point. Isn't the second one intended as a 2' version for hire to other lines, or am I misremembering?

 

1 to keep, 1 or 2 for sale, I think.

 

Nobody has mentioned Leeds No.1, the forerunner of Russell and the Sierra Leone Hunslet Locos. You could even the relay the line up to the reservoirs from Masham to run it on. 2' gauge, Yorkshire scenery and 2 breweries at the lower terminus - whats not to like.

 

Who is building this one? I think the thread is about locos currently under construction.

 

Only for the last few posts, it started off as a "what would people like to see built?" thread, so the comment re Leeds No1 has actually brought it back on track. - Nice choice too!

Personally, any future lottery win is already allocated towards a Darjeeling D class garratt...