Locomotive & Rolling Stock

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Locomotives

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History of Avon Valley Railway Rolling Stock

Since the early 1970s the Avon Valley Railway has amassed a large collection of locomotives and carriages. Some have already been restored and are in regular use, whilst others are either undergoing a meticulous overhaul or awaiting their turn for some 'tender loving care'. The following information provides a brief history of some of the railways stock.

34058 - 'Sir Frederick Pile'

BULLEID REBUILT BATTLE OF BRITAIN 34058 - `Sir Frederick Pile`. Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Pile was the GOC in C Anti-Aircraft Command during the Battle of Britain, and the locomotive named after him, then numbered 21C158, entered service in March 1947. The engine was sent to Nine Elms shed and commenced working on semi-fast and top link duties, including the `Atlantic Coast Express`, receiving its B.R. number in 1948. By the end of 1954 34058 had been transferred to Exmouth Junction and covered 639,472 miles before being rebuilt in 1961. Less than three years later and only one month after receiving a heavy intermediate overhaul, the engine was withdrawn from service and sent to Woodham Brothers at Barry for scrapping, but like so many other engines survived until rescued and moved to Bitton in July 1986. Since its arrival the locomotive has remained basically intact whilst the owner has purchased and reconstructed a huge stock of spare parts including virtually all the valve gear, boiler fittings and much of the platework and ancilliary items. The engine is undergoing a meticulous overhaul with almost everything being rebuilt from scratch rather than refurbishing old parts. A completely new tender is being built, including the casting of the correct pattern B.F.B. wheels. Once restored, only the wheels, frame and boiler will remain of the original locomotive, making it one of the finest restoration projects in the country.

More information about Sir Frederick Pile can be found at the 34058 Restoration Group Website

FOWLER 4F 0-6-0 44123

4123 was constructed at Crewe in August 1925 and sent to Willesden shed in London when new. The locomotive moved several times in the next 25 years until settling at Barnwood, Gloucester in September 1950 for most of the remainder of its life. As a Gloucester engine 44123 (as she had now become) was a regular visitor to the Bristol and Bath area, and would have passed through Bitton station many times during its working life. The end came for the engine in June 1965 when it was condemned and sold to Woodham Brothers in September of that year. There it was to languish until December 1981 when it was moved to the Mid Hants Railway, moving again five years later to Bitton, arriving on Tuesday 20 May 1986. Since its arrival restoration of the engine has progressed well. Like 34058 the locomotive has remained virtually intact whilst those working on it rebuild platework and replace fittings and parts. Some of the work carried out so far includes a new cab, footplate and dragbox, boiler cladding and brake gear, whilst a collection of spare parts have also been made or purchased. Work is also taking place on the tender, with the intention of fabrication a new top half to be united with the restored chassis.

STANIER CLASS 8F 2-8-0 48173

48173 was built at Crewe in 1943 and entered traffic on the 10th of July that year. Initially allocated to Willesden, the locomotive spent the next fifteen years at Rugby, before eventually following the other ex BR steam locomotives at Bitton to Woodham Brothers at Barry. 48173 was the 200th locomotive to be purchased from the Woodham Brothers` site and was moved to Bitton in September 1988 - twenty years after the first engine had departed the Barry scrapyard. Due to a lack of suitable tenders a Fowler example (sometimes carried by the 8Fs) has been purchased, either for use with the engine or to provide spares for a rebuilt Stanier version. Restoration to full working order will not take place until at least some of the other main line engines have been completed. In the meantime a number of small jobs have been undertaken whilst the owners also scour the country for the many missing parts that will be needed once work does commence.

ROBERT STEPHENSON HAWTHORN 0-6-0T 7151

The extent of the overhaul was greater than first thought, including work on the wheels and motion as well as a new inner firebox which cost several thousands of pounds to manufacture and fit. The engine finally returned to traffic in November 1999 and has been in regular use ever since.

HUDSWELL CLARKE 0-6-0T 70

No. 70 was one of 22 of the class of "long tanks" and was supplied to the Manchester Ship Canal Railway just after the First World War. Gross weight is 34 tons. Unusually the coupling rods are pivoted just in front of the centre driving wheels which are flangeless. The springs for the front two axles are linked by compensating beams. These features are designed to assist motion through tight curves and uneven track. A steam brake was fitted as standard. A vacuum brake valve and ejector have been fitted for passenger use in preservation. On retirement, No.70 moved straight from Mode Wheel Shed to preservation at the East Lancs Railway at Bury. The motion, mechanical parts and boiler have all been fully overhauled in recent years. The ten-year boiler certificate was renewed in 2003 and the boiler has just successfully passed its first annual thorough examination. No. 70 was last in use at Preston and since August 2003 has been based at the Avon Valley Railway.

CHRZANOW 0-6-0T 4015 - 'Karel'

Built by the Polish factory, Chrzanow (pronounced "Sharnov") in 1954 the engine was not outshopped until 1957, with a boiler and works plate dated that year. This is one of the "Ferrum" class of 480 0-6-0Ts for industrial use in mines and steelworks. This loco was delivered new to a steelworks at Ostrowiec in South East Poland and was bought for export to the UK from the same works in 1991. When it was imported it had been out of use for only six months, but took until 1998 to be put back into working order with a UK boiler certificate, at a cost of about £60,000, a great deal less than the cost to restore a British "Barry hulk". "Karel", which is Charles in Polish, is not a name the loco carried in use in Poland. It is named after both the Polish Pope, Karel Wojtila (John Paul II) and as a pun on the name of the owner`s wife, Carole. The eagle logo on the smokebox was carried by some main line locos but not, as far as we are aware, by any of the Ferrums in industrial service. Some Poles would prefer that a crown be painted above the eagle`s head, as the present one is the communist eagle design! The locomotive has worked at several preserved railways. Before settling at its home base at Bitton it worked at the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway and at Pontypool & Blanavon, and has more recently spent a year at the North Norfolk. Its large footplate and free-steaming has made it popular for driver experience courses .

AVONSIDE 0-6-0ST - 'Edwin Hulse'

Built in Bristol in 1918 by the Avonside Locomotive Works, this locomotive spent its entire working life at Avonmouth`s Imperial Smelting Works. When retired in 1972 it was purchased by the railway and initially stored at Fry`s in Keynsham. It was moved to Bitton in 1973 where restoration work continued, even during a three week visit to the Bristol 600 years of Royal Charter celebrations, where the engine was retubed on Durdham Downs. 1974 saw the first steaming, and shortly afterwards it was named `Edwin Hulse` in recognition of the efforts of a founder member and Chairman of the Society. For many years it was the only steam locomotive available at Bitton, and following an overhaul in 1978 was back in service again until it came up for a major overhaul in the mid 1980s. The engine is currently being restored, ready for its next turn of duty.

BR CLASS 07 0-6-0DE D2994

No. D2994 was one of a small number of shunting locomotives built in 1962 for working within Southampton Docks. Following the run-down of rail traffic in the docks the engine was withdrawn in 1976, but unlike many it did not enter industrial service but went straight into preservation at the Mid-Hants Railway. In 1980 it moved to the West Somerset Railway, spending much of its time at Minehead, before a final move to the Avon Valley Railway in 1994. Since then a major rebuild and repaint has taken place, providing the railway with a reliable backup engine in the event of a steam engine failure.

SENTINEL 0-8-0DH 610 - 'General Lord Robertsion'

Built in 1963 for the Ministry of Defence, this locomotive is a variation of a standard Sentinel industrial shunter design, and is now the only 0-8-0 Sentinel left in existence. It worked on the Longmoor Military Railway until closure in 1969, then moved to Shoeburyness where it stayed until sold out of MOD service in 1984. The locomotive moved to the Mid-Hants Railway where it spent much of its time on passenger services before being withdrawn and offered for sale in 1986. It was purchased and moved to Bitton in October of that year and, following a overhaul of one of its final drives, saw regular use both for shunting and on passenger trains. With the introduction of D2994 into regular service, 610 is now likely to undergo a major overhaul in the coming years.

BARCLAY 0-4-0DM - 'Kingswood'

Built in 1958 by Andrew Barclay and Sons of Glasgow (works number 446), this 0-4-0 diesel was part of a cancelled order for British Railways Class 01 locomotives. The engine was delivered to the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1959 and spent its entire life in Wales, at Carmarthan and Rogerstone power stations. It was purchased and moved to Bitton in 1984 and in 1988 it was agreed that the locomotive should be names `Kingswood` in honour of the Borough that Bitton is in, and an official naming ceremony took place in October with the Mayor of Kingswood present.

The Avon Valley Railway has a collection of some twenty passenger carrying railway carriages, mainly of the B.R. Mark 1 design introduced in the 1950s. Just under half of these are in use, making up two distinctive sets of carriages - each with their specific use.

MIDLAND MAROON

On public open days the railway carriages you will travel in are painted Maroon, the colour of the Midland Railway. These carriages are predominantly corridor coaches, with eight compartments seating eight people to a compartment.

M25040 and M25299

Built in 1956 and 1957 respectively, were purchased by the railway in 1982 from Old Oak Common in London. Once moved to Bitton they only required a small amount of work before entering service.

M35255

M35255 is a 'brake' version of the above carriages, providing four compartments for seating as well as the Guard's compartment and a luggage area. This carriage was also bought from British Rail in 1982 and moved to Bitton. In 1986 a major refurbishment of the luggage area took place, to turn it into a purpose built section for wheelchair users. This carriage is conveyed in most of our trains.

M3745

M3745 is an 'open' carriage which means that it has four seats around a table, rather than compartments. Named 'Ruth', this carriage was purchased from a site in London in 1988 and converted back to steam heating and vacuum braking. This carriage is very popular, especially for children's birthday parties and group bookings where food is provided during the journey.

CHOCOLATE AND CREAM

For special occasions the railway is developing a dedicated set of carriages. Painted in a chocolate and cream livery, each coach is individually named. They are used, as required, for Sunday lunches, wedding receptions and anniversaries, business meetings, exhibitions and any other activities that will benefit the railway.

Reception Coach 'Martha' (No 13231) was built in 1956 as a First Class corridor coach. Upon withdrawal from British Rail it passed into the hands of the SAS at Hereford for use in anti-terrorist training, suffering considerable internal damage. It was moved to Bitton in 1989 and received some initial attention, although it then remained untouched for several years.

In 1998 the vehicle was chosen for conversion to a reception coach for special events. The carriage was gutted inside to provide some five hundred square feet of open space, double doors were added to allow access for wheelchairs and display equipment and carpeted throughout. As funds allow it is anticipated that a bar will be fitted at one end of the carriage.

'First Class' Dining Carriage 'Grace' (No 9208), also built in 1956, has 39 seats arranged around ten tables. Purchased in 1990 it was initially moved to the railway's storage facility at Long Marston, but in 2000 sufficient funds were made available to bring the coach to Bitton and commence restoration. The dining area was completely gutted and new fixtures and fittings installed. With the addition of carpets, curtains and table lamps the carriage now sees regular use for many special occasions. The former luggage area is now a small reception area.

'Standard Class' Dining Carriage 'Bicester Military Railway' (No 4754), built in 1957, is of the same design as M3745, having sixteen tables each seating up to four people. This vehicle is kindly on loan to the Avon Valley Railway from the Ministry of Defence, having been previously used for special occasions at the Bicester base.

Kitchen Car 'Doris' (No 1933) was built in 1960 as a Restaurant Car, providing a full meals service. In the mid 1970s it was rebuilt with the removal of four seats which allowed a buffet serving hatch to be installed at one end. Purchased from a scrapyard in Swindon in a very poor condition, the coach has been restored to once again become the centre of activity, providing the facilities to cater for the culinary needs of large groups of people.

last updated: andy stone, Sun 9th Jan 2005