© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2011 This page shouldn't have happened at all! The previous day, I should have been on a railtour, running from Shropshire stations to Carlisle, via Manchester and the Cumbrian Coast. At the last minute, it was cancelled - lack of drivers, apparently. Hence the need for a little railway entertainment the following day. I hadn't any very clear ideas, but on browsing the local railways' web sites, I realised that the Amerton Railway's "Isabel" was undergoing a boiler overhaul, and "Emmet", the curious little locomotive I had met at Statfold a few weeks ago, would be handling services. Perhaps we ought to go and have a look (a bit of fun on a dull October afternoon maybe)... What's so odd about Emmet? Well, I've no idea where the boiler, motion etc came from - but the loco started life as an O&K diesel, 21160 of 1938, which once worked on the clay lines (See  Fayles Tramway, on the The Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum's site). I suppose the builder's plate, suggesting a rather more recent date, is appropriate... Emmet was completed in 2003 by Jim Haylock of the Moors Valley Railway, after about 12 years work (if the IRS build date is anything to go by). Another new resident at Amerton is "Paddy" - we've met Paddy before, at the Keef's open day in September. Based on the classic De Winton design, but with geared drive to the axles, Paddy is a tender engine and, more-or-less complete but with one or two finishing touches still required, should be able to operate at Amerton when Emmet departs homewards. Enough said - enjoy the pictures. We've been to Amerton before (the very first "Rail Diaries" entry recorded our first visit - so for more details, have a look at those earlier trips (below). Links: The Amerton Railway On Geoff's Rail Diaries:- The Amerton Railway Wrens at Amerton Irish Mail at Amerton Arrival 1 Basking in admiration Ready for off Posing for pictures Paddy and tender Steaming in the station Pulling away Ruston and Motor Rail Wren "Lorna Doone" and Baguley "Dreadnaught" The crossing of the brook Arrival 2 Arrival 3