The owners of BEV No.551 are appealling for information on this locomotive to help with restoration.
BEV 551 is based at the Steeple Grange Light railway, and is an 18” gauge battery electric locomotive. It was built by British Electric Vehicles in 1924, before the company was taken over by Wingrove and Rogers.
No.551 was supplied to the Gurnos tinplate co. near Swansea, before its way to the John Player tinplate works at Clydach on Tawe. Eventually it went to the narrow gauge museum at Gloddfa Ganol. From here it was purchased by an SGLR member.
We are primarily asking for information about the motor, which is missing. We hope to find a replacement, but knowing the voltage, horsepower, RPM, current, make, model etc would help greatly. We also need the dimensions and number of teeth of the drive gear on the motor. So far we have found two similar looking locomotives, one at Llechwedd slate caverns and Works no. 640 “Welsh Pony”, based at the West Lancashire Light Railway.
We would also be interested in any details of its paint, as well the history/old photographs. We know of one picture of it at Gurnos, which appears on page 67 of “Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways in Britain” (Bradford Barton).
Please contact agswookieAThotmailDOTcom (replace AT=@ and DOT=.) if you can help.
The work will take a long time, but we hope to get No.551 fully operational.
