100-year-old locos
Military trains at Apedale
© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2023
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
27 May 2023
The steamers shared the workload on the main line: we turn from the sublime to… Is that a garden shed? A variety of internal combustion locos were in action on the field railway, including the unusual (to put it politely) Motor-Rail 1320 (another late- WW1 machine). And whatever is that trundling back and forth? Oh, I know. It’s a tank engine! (in reality a military range target trolley…). Apedale events are always fun - this one’s no exception! Link: Apedale Valley Light Railway
The two steam stars of today’s show at the Apedale Valley Railway are actually somewhat older than that - both were built in 1916. Hunslet 4-6-0T no. 303 (HE1215) is a WW1 classic; Hudswell Clarke no. 104 (HC1238) went to work in Ghana. As is possibly now well known, it fell into a river in 1952, remained there for more than 40 years, was rescued and eventually restored to full working order in 2014.
The two steam stars of the show Apedale arrival - no. 104 No 303 arrives with the freight No 104 arrives with the passenger Garden shed? MR1320 of 1918 This Motor-Rail... ...is a tank engine? Tin turtle (MR 1369 of 1918) It's a Howard! 984 of 1931 303 posing at Apedale 303 shunts at the loop 303 is ready to leave the loop No 303 leaves the loop - passenger 104 runs round at the loop No 104 leaves the loop with the freight 104 posing at Apedale