Progress is being made with three new locomotives for the 15” gauge Perrygrove Railway at Coleford in the Royal Forest of Dean.
A new 2-6-0 tender loco has been under construction for some time at the Exmoor Steam Railway. No firm date has been set for its entry into service but it is expected to be either late 2002 or early 2003. No name or works number has been announced yet.
A diesel loco is being constructed using parts from a Hunslet Jenbach 2’ gauge loco No. LD9337 (type DH25). This will have a new Kubota D1105 engine driving the existing Linde hydraulic pump and motor. The frames are presently at Alan Keef’s works for re-gauging. It will be called “Jubilee” in recognition of its service on construction of the London Underground Jubilee line.
The third machine is a reconstruction of Sir Arthur Heywood’s second locomotive “Ella”. This is a long term project which is being undertaken for Perrygrove by Mr. J. Waterfield of Boston.
Together with the existing fleet of 3 locos these new machines will maintain the character of Perrygrove as an estate railway.
