Abbey Light Railway

6.     'Druid'     Simplex     20 HP     8644     1941

New to MoD; Creekmoor light railway group, Poole, Dorset; Alne Tile works

Druid was rebuilt at the railway in 1999, it is a Simplex chassis and transmission, but most other things have been changed and improved. it has a new Perkins engine, all new bodywork, electric start, headlights, cab light and train electric supply, new radiator (facing forwards) air brakes, whistle and is painted in a rather stylish blue livery with go-faster stripes. It was never intended as steam outline, as some simplex listings refer to it as. The bodywork shape is nessesary to accomodate the new engine and equipment, and for driver comfort and usability. With its electric start Perkins diesel engine, it starts every time whatever the weather (unlike Odin, which has the original engine and needs cranking over by hand) Druid is a reliable loco, perfect for shunting at night and for handling the passenger train.

 

 

 

The two images below are of Druid in its original form, when working at Hemingbrough brickworks in 1979. As you can see, it is quite different from how it looks today, the bits that survive are the chassis, wheels, gearbox and the nameplate.


These images are from Geoff's Pages, used with kind permission and can be viewed by clicking on this text.