Narrow gauge in the Forest of Dean
Alan Keef and the Whistling Pig
© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2016
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
17 September 2016
Visits to two places of railway interest in the
Forest of Dean- Alan Keef’s works at Lea Line,
for the (usually) annual open day, and the
nearby Lea Bailey Light Railway, a developing
heritage railway based at the Lea Bailey mine.
We’ve always enjoyed a visit to Keef’s - today
was no exception. Regular visitor ”Peter Pan” and
resident “Woto” took turns on the passenger
train, while inside the works are the frames of
two new-build locos - “Lyn” for the L&B, and the new Falcon for
the Corris. Standing outside was “Dalmunzie”, the Motor-Rail
from the Dalmunzie Hotel Railway, which last ran getting on for
40 years ago.
After the obligatory pork bap, we moved on the very short
distance to Lea Bailey. Since our last visit, a couple of years ago,
the locomotive fleet has multiplied somewhat. A Motor-Rail and
a Lister provided some entertainment (and “driver for a fiver”
experience), but the star attraction had to
be the “Whistling Pig”, an EIMCO
compressed air-powered mines loco. The
“Pig” part of the name is fairly obvious
given its porcine appearance, but the
video must be played to understand the
“Whistling”. Great fun! Never seen (or
heard) one of those before. (It should be
said that my wife is unconvinced by the
“Pig” thing - she’s convinced it’s powered by a flock of tame
canaries - hence the paint job) Sadly, it only runs for perhaps
five minutes before needing a recharge - which, without an
industrial-scale supply of compressed air, takes perhaps 40
minutes. Worth the wait though!
Links:
•
Alan Keef Ltd
•
Lea Bailey Light Railway
Video: Lea Bailey: the
Motor-Rail, the Lister - and
the Whistling Pig!
