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In Summer 2010, Andrew took the sad decision to reduce the collection in order to concentrate on fewer locos and reduce the stress caused by being "spread too thinly". This page will record those locos that have moved to pastures new...
Gullick Dobson Tamper
This 2ft gauge tamping/lining machine was originally with the NCB, before being modified for surface use by YEC and sold to the embryo WHR for tamping the Dinas- Caernarfon section. Later, when faster tamping was required, it was parked up and eventually aquired by Andrew and taken to the Derbyshire Dales N.G. Railway at Rowsley. In summer 2010 Andrew sold it to a DDNGR director.
English Electric 0-6-0DH "Jana"
The original "Stephenson" in Andrew's collection was "Jana", but it received shoddy treatment at the hands of RMS Locotec and in March 2008, RMS handed over "Kimberley" as replacement. Although Andrew planned to refurbish "Jana" 'one day', the opportunity to make a straight exchange for another locomotive has now been taken. A provision of the deal is that, should the locomotive be disposed of again later, Andrew is promised first refusal.
North British 0-4-0DH "Coronation"
The oldest s.g. diesel hydraulic locomotive in the UK and the first of the North British diesel hydraulics, "Coronation" took two years to build in the difficult years after the War, being completed early in 1953. The Paxman 6RPH Mk1 engine (basically the V-12 crankcase but with pistons/blocks only up one side, giving it a strange, unbalanced appearance) drives a German-built Voith transmission (prior to the Licence-build of the transmissions by NB itself) and it was supplied to Shelton steelworks. Preserved in 1986 at Foxfield, it moved later to the East Kent Railway before coming into Andrew's possession. Based latterly at Elsecar, the unexpected decision of the EHR company board to ask Andrew to remove it was the final straw that decided him on reducing the size of the collection. "Coronation" returned to the Foxfield Railway on 13th September 2010. Further details of this loco are here.
"Coronation" leaves Elsecar, 13th September 2010
Hudswell-Clarke 0-4-0DH "Claire"
The first two Hudswell-Clarke 0-4-0DHs Andrew bought from the erstwhile Shropshire loco collection were "Clare" (HC D1388 of 1970) and "Grace" (HC D1345 of 1971). Of the two, Claire was in better order and was brought up to running condition first, being taken to Peak Rail, Snibston and Wirksworth before finally going to the Cambrian Rly Society as a shunter for Nantmawr. Later a third HC, Beverley, was saved at the last minute from scrapping. Although an attractive and rugged design, having three "identical" locos was an obvious excess and as "Grace" turned out to be the last s.g. shunting loco to be finished at HCs works, selecting "Claire" as the first to be sold, to a member of the combined Cambrian groups, was almost inevitable. The change in ownership took place in early November 2010.
Sentinel 4wVBT "George"
"George", the ex-Courtaulds Sentinel,. was the sole steam loco in Andrew's collection, and although bought with the best of intentions, there had been no real progress on restoring the loco to working order. In the early summer of 2010, Andrew took the decision to reduce the collection and this was the first planned sale. In the event, terms were agreed during mid-November and the loco was expected to leave Elsecar on November 29th - snow however delayed things and it left instead on the 6th December, heading for Norfolk.
English Electric 0-6-0DH "Kimberly"
Similar to "Jana", Kimberley was one of the rugged "Stephenson" 0-6-0DHs that EE produced in competition with Sentinel and Hunslet. Like "Jana", it was unusual in having a Cummins engine and also went into the Opencast coal industry. Acquired by Yorkshire Engine, it was refurbished and went into use at the rail distribution depot next to Wembley stadium where "Evian" water was distributed on arrival through the Channel Tunnel. When this traffic moved to Coventry, the loco, now owned by RMS Locotec, was allocated to Barrow Hill as a shunter for the short-lived "Mainline Rail" subsidiary, from whence Andrew acquired it. Initially it was allocated to Wirksworth (where depicted) but later taken to Blodwell Junction (CRS) and later still, Llynclys. As part of Andrew's general reduction in size of the collection, terms were reached to sell the loco to a prominent Cambrian member, the sale being completed in June 2011.
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