Abbey Light Railway
The Official Website of the Abbey Light Railway, Kirkstall, Leeds
Number 11
11. Baguley 10 HP 760 1917
to APCM Ltd., Bidwell Clay pit, Dunstable; A. J. Keefe, Aylesbury; R. P. Morris, Dartford.
This loco is unique in that it is the only working example of its type anywhere in the world. For it's size, it is very light weight only being one and a half tons, this has allowed it to be exhibited at Narrow Gauge North railway exhibition. on the track, it is a nice loco to drive, if not the most powerful thing. due to a lack of air brakes and the wrong sort of coupling, it cannot be run on passenger trains, but on test it has hauled the whole train including both number 3 Odin, and number 6 Druid, a total weight in excess of 10 tons.
This type of locomotive was built to operate in France in the Trenches of World War one, it is built to be lightweight so it can run on lightweight 9lb track, it is also built narrow to fit down trenches and has a short wheelbase to negotiate sharp corners. it is believed that locomotives like these had an expected life expectancy of about three weeks on the front line. They where built to work alongside the better known 40hp open, protected and armoured Simplex's and the various types of steam engines that also worked in the First World War.
However, the design proved to have flaws. although the loco was narrow, the driver stands up quite high, which is not good when you don't want to be shot at, also, the clutch (which originally was operated by the handbrake wheel) proved difficult to operate. these problems led to the locos being used away from the frontline, in tank depots and for logging, where there is also tight corners. We also have evidence that one of them was used in a sleeper yard of the London North Eastern Railway.
Our other 10 hp baguley, fleet number 10, in use hauling a tank engine on a flat wagon. notice the detail diffences. it is believed that none of the 50 that were built were identical. this one has a chimney on top of the bonnet, giving it a very steam engineish appearance.
A 10hp baguley in use for logging. the wood was needed to line the trenches on the frontline. I wouldn't like to be riding in that loco with those pointy logs and that coupling!
Our number 11, before anyone cared about it, waist deep in a lake. Evidence of this punishment can still be seen on the loco, as the metal on the frames and wheels is pitted from water errosion.