Dragon Miniature Railway

Wyevale Garden Centre, Marple, UK

Steam Locomotives

The ultimate stars of the DMR, our oldest locomotive dates from 1978, while our youngest was finished in 2001. They are real, coal-fired steam engines, the smell of burning coal and hot oil providing an added dimension to the atmosphere of the railway. The locomotives are listed in order of their use on the DMR. Do contact us if you wish to know which engine(s) will be in use on your visit.

Locomotive
Name
Number
Date Built/Builder
Type
Class
Princess
1
1989/Egerton and Horsfield
0-4-2T
Tinkerbell
Lady Pauline
3
1982/A. Kay
0-4-2T
Tinkerbell
Jack
1
2001/P. Frank
0-4-0WT+T
Mount Pleasant Hunslet
Goliath
4
1979/R. Kay
0-4-0T
Early George England - Ffestiniog
Marcus
2
1978/A. Kay
0-4-0ST
Dinorwic Hunslet

NB It must be noted that the name of the builder of any loco listed is not necessarily that of the owner.

The Tinkerbell's

Our most popular steam locos are based on the infamous Tinkerbell design by Roger Marsh, as an attempt to build the smallest loco where the driver sits in the loco rather than on a tender behind the loco. The original was built in 1968 and is still in service today at the Moors Valley Railway in Dorset. Many examples have been built over the years, and the DMR is proud to run two of these machines.


Princess was built in 1989 by Edgerton/Horsfield to Roger Marsh's popular design, and was immediately put into service on Brookside Miniature Railway. She came to the DMR in 1999 with our other locos, and has been in regular service ever since. She received a new boiler in 2004 and has been in regular service ever since.

Lady Pauline was constructed in 1982 by Alwyn Kay, a local model engineer, again to Roger Marsh's popular design. She was also used extensively on the Brookside line, until she moved to the DMR with Princess, 47338, D1015 and Marcus in 1999. Not quite as popular as Princess due to her enclosed cab making her rather warm, and due to her being quite top-heavy.


Princess Photos.

 

Lady Pauline Photos.

Jack

Jack is our youngest steam locomotive, being completed in 2001. She is a 5" scale model of an 18-inch gauge locomotive built by Hunslet in 1897 for Mount Pleasant clay works. Jack was joined by Gwen in 1920, and was withdrawn in 1958. The prototype is preserved at the Leeds Industrial Museum.

The model was based at Millerbeck in Cumbria from new until October 2006 when it was moved to DMR. Though it has the power to handle a full train, due to the gradients on the line it has a tendency to lose grip, so only runs with two carriages.

Jack Photos.


Goliath

Goliath was built by R. Kay in 1979. She is a freelance locomotive, with slip-eccentric valve gear and cylinder drain-cocks which require a second person to open/close them whilst going along. She is therefore used less frequently than any of the other locos. A boiler examination in 2007 has seen her returned to service.

More pics can be seen in Nick Tozer's collection at: http://nick-tozer.fotopic.net/c1357472.html

Marcus

Marcus was constructed in 1978 by Alwyn Kay, and spent time working at Widnes MES, even appearing on TV for a local news report during the 80’s. She was moved to Brookside in the late 80’s, but was little used, being moved again to the DMR in 1999, being only occasionally steamed. She is a 4-inch scale Hunslet, based on those working at the Dinorwic quarries during the early 1900’s.

The following photos were taken on Sunday July 22nd ruing a steam test. From left to right: Luke filling the water tank while Alwyn prepares for a run,  Alwyn returning to the station, Marcus and Princess together in the station.