Surviving Kerr Stuart Wrens

I'm trying to work out how many (and which) Wrens have survived - given they were scattered all around the world in use... I keep thinking I've found them all, and then hear about another one...

So far I know of:

Early Type Wrens
1015 - 1907 - unknown - Paranapiacaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1251 - 1913 - unknown -Sao Domingos, Portugal "Mosca" (550mm gauge)
2387 - 1915 - unrestored - Pattaya, Thailand
2388 - 1915 - partial remains - Falkland Islands
2392 - 1915 - partial remains - Falkland Islands

Late Type Wrens
3114 - 1918 - serviceable - Rampton Trust "Brockamin"
3128 - 1918 - unrestored - C Mathews, Canada
4031 - 1919 - serviceable - Sandstone SA "Little Bess"
4250 - 1922 - under restoration - Amerton "Lorna Doone"
4256 - 1922 - serviceable - Leighton Buzzard "Pixie"
4260 - 1922 - serviceable - Leighton Buzzard "Peter Pan"

Hunslet Steam Co Built (Late Type)
3905 - 2008 - servicable - Amerton - "Jennie"
3906 - 2009 - servicable - Kew Bridge - "Thomas Wicksteed"

Does anyone know of any others? And does anyone have any details for the more far flung examples? There are (small) pictures on Steam Locomotive Information of 1015 and 2387, but no other details (2387 looks in a poor state, I could believe that 1015 is steamable), and google hasn't proved overly helpful either...
As a final thought, did Hunslet Steam Co only build two newbuilds? I'm sure someone told me they built three, but I can't any reference anywhere to another...

 

Statfold, Jack Lane, Jennie, Thomas Wicksteed. First 2 based at Statfold still

 

Only Jennie is a brand new 'Wren'
Thomas Wicksteed was a finish off job
Statfold and Jack Lane are 'Quarry' types

 

There are pics on the remains of the two at Stanley on my website at Index Click on 'The South Atlantic' button and scroll down. If you e-mail me direct to martin.coombs1ATvirgin.net (with obvious correction) I can send you further photos taken in 2011.

Martin

 

Both "Jennie" and "Thomas Wicksteed" are brand new. TW was started at Kew Bridge but finished at Statfold Barn hence the Hunslet plates are carried quite legitimately. Hunslet did the same with various fully and semi-completed locomotives they took over from Kerr Stuart.

Incidentally TW very likely will be spending the summer at Kempton Park Steam Museum whilst Kew Bridge undergoes a major, National Lottery funded, makeover.

P.H.

 

I visited Ian Howitts premises near Wakefield some years ago now, in one of the sheds, the same one as the Marshall 'Universal' were a considerable amount of parts for a new build Wren, I recall Ian was building it for himself. It seemed to be a stalled project.

I often wonder what became of it.

 

It's still there...

 

Let us not forget the late, great Peter Jones's "Wren" replica that I believe incorporated at least one or two "real" parts, but had cast concrete wheels and was kept in the glassed-in Wrennery in the garden, which also was home to the famed model Compton Down Light Railway. I'm not sure what happened to the Wren, but much of the CDLR has made its way to the Llechfan Garden Railway at Wharf Station on the TR.

 

Interesting stuff.

I've seen a few photos of the Falkland locos - poor things look in rather a state.

The Wren at Ian Howetts I didn't know about - did his major castings come from Hunslets spares department ? I believe there were three sets of cylinders that went to Statfold, one set went to Kew Bridge, one set went to Jenny, but I'm not sure where the third set went.

Peter Jones's replica is now at statfold IIRC.

 

My visit to Wakefield I believe pre dated Mr Lee's involvement with Hunslet.

The gent who took me there has also commented on this thread, perhaps he could confirm?

 

For a full history of KS Wrens see The Industrial Railway Record Nos 5&6 Dec 1964 available on-line www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/5+6_Wren. Hope this helps. Ray.

 

Langstaff (Ontario) -

Kerr Stuart Wren 3128 of 1918 (ex National Smelting Ltd, Avonmouth) that was exported in 1959 by the same Mr Matthews who later bought "King of the Scarlets", "Michael" and "Liassic". The Mattews family chose to keep the locomotive in Canada whilst the other locos were sold to Statfold as it was the only locomotive Mr. Matthews actually steamed in Canada.

It is notable for being built without a cab (or awning) and having a short chimney. It can be seen in the Graham Morris photograph of Michael in Cliff Thomas' book "Quarry Hunslets of North Wales".

Kind regards,
Gareth

 

The plan to bring back the two from the Falklands (restore both in the UK, send one back, retain one as payment) seems not to have progressed, unless anyone knows different. Was to have happened via Alex Engineering www.alexengineering.co.uk which is a shame, because they look like the kind of people who know what they're doing with vintage restorations.

http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assets/170-08.pdf

 

Just to add that TW is running at Kempton until September and is demonstrating her usual ability to steam with utter freedom on very little fuel!
Paul H

 

Does anyone have an up to date picture of it, please?

 

Here we are, this was taken last week when it was being unloaded in our yard .

Its already dismantled and "in the works"

When done it will be returning to Canada.

Henry

Statfold Barn Railway

 

It will be interesting to see what the shortened chimney does to the steaming capacity. As stated before "Thomas Wicksteed" is an amazingly free steamer and there are similar accounts of other examples.

Paul H.

 

Thanks - my dad was responsible for the end of steam at the smelting works. Shame he's not around to see it back in the UK.

 

Anyone know the history of it's tank? It looks fully welded - was this something that was done on the later build wrens, or something she gained at the smelting works?

Edit: I've since realized she's a 1918 build so whatever it is that tank isn't original - I don't know why, but I'd not checked my list, and had thought she was quite a late built loco...

Lovely plaina in that photo BTW - if it was mine, I'd want to do the essential repairs then put it back together again looking as much like that as possible.

Having had a go with Jennie, I'd say the normal Wrens are remarkable free steaming - you only have to show her a lump of coal and she's blowing off...

 

Unlike the "normal chimney" the one fitted in the photograph is not tapered apart from being considerably shorter. It does have an "ornamental" top but has a certain home made air about it. The safety valves appear to have been amended from the normal Kerr Stuart pattern in that bolts have been added so that pressure can be altered readily.

In my experience the great problem with "Thomas Wicksteed" at any rate is that the only way to stop her blowing off is to let the fire go out or run with any ultra thin fire, neither of which are a very good idea!

Paul H.