Steam up! Alan Keef Open Day, 2018

Click here for the 2018 gardens index.

One of the perks of living in Mitcheldean is that we're just a short distance from the Alan Keef workshops (http://www.alankeef.co.uk) where there is always an eclectic mixture of narrow gauge kit either as part of a 'new build' or simply in for a 'heavy general' or more. The annual Open Day has become a biennial event to make it more manageable and it took place on 22nd September 2018 in conditions which could not have been more different from the wonderful summer which is now firmly in the past, cold and drizzly in other words. It didn't stop the punters enjoying the train rides, this is 610mm gauge Andrew Barclay 'Jack' (1871/1925).

This duty was being shared with resident Bagnall 'Woto' (2133 / 1924) 

The other live steam exhibit was the diminutive Trotter steam roller:

On display inside were various projects, shown in no particular order, first up is a metre gauge Henschel tram locomotive (5276/1899) which was converted to fireless operation long ago and is now being fitted with a new boiler to restore it to 'as built' condition: Inside were displayed most of the parts awaiting reassembly and outside were the new and old boilers. 

In the early stages of work were 3'0" gauge Isle of Man Railway 13, 'Maitland' (Beyer Peacock 4663/1905) and the new build 2'3" gauge Corris Railway Falcon.

Probably the largest steam locomotive present was 3'0" gauge 'Nancy' (Avonside 1547/1908) which will work on the Cavan and Leitrim Railway in Ireland 

Various Alan Keef built exhibits were on view, 'Taffy' dates from 1990 and is a De Winton replica.

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The first is 40SD502, a 1975 'modified Simplex' and the second a motorised skip, 'Skippy', 1976).

These are two battery locomotives, that on the right might qualify as 'vintage', it was made by Wingrove and Rogers who traded as 'British Electric Vehicles' which appears on the central cog wheel (Click here for a similar example.).

Finally two curiosities, firstly 1899 'Toastrack' Tramcar No. 8 from the Southend Pier Railway built by the Brush Electrical Engineering Company at Loughborough. After a sojourn in Brighton and a return to Southend, it has had a cosmetic restoration and is on its way to Chelmsford City Museum as its design came from Cromptons who were based there. 

Finally, a 'modern' Wallis and Steevens Advance roller, built in the early 1950s as a successor to the steam kind whose production had ceased by 1940. It has a Morris petrol engine and despite appearances was run up and down the yard!

Of course, there were a number of like minded friends there which meant I had a very pleasant couple of hours.