Steamy fun in the Forest of Dean
Rishra and Ursula
13 September 2003
In September last year I visited the open day
at Alan Keef Ltd, near Ross on Wye. Once
again, fine weather was forecast - off we
went!
This year "Rishra" the unique Baguley-built
locomotive from the Leighton Buzzard Light
Railway would visit, to share the work with
local "Taffy" on the 2' gauge demonstration
track. In the event, Taffy had been steamed, only to "fail" with a
problem in the valve motion - so Rishra would have to work
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
single-handed. Does this tiny loco possess the
tallest chimney in preservation?
As usual, there was plenty of other railway
interest to examine, and a couple of hours
passed very quickly. The pork and stuffing baps
were every bit as good as last year too, after
which we decided to forego a visit to the
bouncy castle and set off down the road to
Perrygrove.
Link:
Alan Keef Ltd
The 15" gauge Perrygrove Railway near Coleford
is home to two steam locomotives - "Spirit of
Adventure", built at the Exmoor Steam Railway
in 1993, and "Ursula", a 1999-built replica of the
Eaton Hall Railway's locomotive of the same
name. The original was built at Arthur
Heywood's Duffield Bank works in 1916, for the
Duke of Westminster's line which was built to
the "minimum gauge" standards established by
Heywood. And what a fine locomotive she is!
Ursula does not see regular use - normal passenger trains,
consisting of a Keef-built rake of bogie stock, are hauled by
"Spirit". But today Ursula was in steam too - coupled to replica
Duffield Bank dynamometer car and dining car, and Eaton Hall
brake van. Ursula would follow the "service" train once the latter
had reached the other end of the line - and while it would not be
available for the general public (and their sticky little hands?),
the enthusiasts could travel on the train. We didn't need too
much persuasion, and squeezed gingerly into the dining car -
which is just as fine on the inside as it looks on the outside, right
down to the etched glass and the copper kettle in the kitchen
compartment.
Just for a change, I chose to ride "shotgun" for the return
journey - seat-belted into the outside seat of the brake van, now
at the front of the train, for a clear view of the action. I think I
ended the journey significantly dirtier than when I started....
Perrygrove is great fun (great for families too, I suspect) - check
the website for opening times, then pay it a visit!
Link:
The Perrygrove Railway
