Yorkshire Engine Co. 0-6-0DH

Libby

One of the last locomotives completed by YE is this 0-6-0DH that worked at Calverton colliery before initial preservation in the 'Shropshire Collection'. The history of the Yorkshire Engine Company is very well documented in Tony Vernon's book, but suffice it to say that YEC revamped its designs to compete with the award-winning Sentinel range, producing some first-class locos, but market prospects in the mid 1960s were such that YEC's parent company United Steels decided to discontinue the business. The designs and diesel loco goodwill were acquired by Rolls-Royce, and several locos by Sentinel and Thomas Hill were copies of, or owed much to, YEC engineering - several YE employees, including latter-day Chief Designer Arthur Hunter, joined Thomas Hill.

Andrew aquired this loco in late 2001, at which point it had no engine or converter, and damaged superstructure. Taken to Long Marston, a Cummins NT855 was acquired out of an EE Stephenson 0-6-0DH and given a commercial overhaul in Barnsley. The original power unit had been rigidly mounted to the loco frame, but it was typical of Andrew to insist that its replacement be provided with flexible mounting for noise (etc) reduction. Thus began a policy of improving rather than slavishly 'restoring to original' the locomotives in Andrew's collection. It was not yet in running condition when commercial constraints applied at Long Marston forced relocation. It was kindly offered a temporary home by RMS Locotec - thus Libby came north to Dewsbury, then, when RMS re-located to Wakefield, transferred there. Some work was carried out on Libby in these homes but it was not quite in running order when RMS needed the space and the loco transferred again, to Peak Rail, where the final work on wiring and exhaust systems were finished. However, its usefulness was limited by a leaking radiator, and this was taken out for repair late in 2008.

More photos of Libby can be found in the Gallery section, here