Yeovil Railway Centre - Locomotives and Rolling Stock

LOCOMOTIVES

PECTIN (Returned to service 1 August 2004 after a 10 yearly overhaul.)

Currently, the only steam locomotive at Yeovil Railway Centre, Pectin is an 0-4-0 saddle tank previously owned by 6000 Locomotive Association. It was built in 1921 (number 1579) by Peckett & Sons Ltd of Bristol at its Atlas Works, having been designed to perform shunting duties on standard gauge factory sidings. Its working life was spent at the British Aluminium Co (BAC), Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. The engine was purchased for Ł225 on 24 December 1971 and arrived at its new home at Bulmers Cider in Hereford on 2 March 1972. The loco arrived in Yeovil in 1995 having had its third boiler overhaul costing some Ł15,000.

During 2004 'Pectin' was given a full 10 year overhaul at Yeovil CLICK HERE with much of the work being undertaken by the Centre's volunteers and in 2006 the engine was gifted to South West Main Line Steam Co as part of the winding up of 6000 Locomotive Association. We are delighted to maintain our contact with the ex-members of 6000 Locomotive Association with a special event each year.

PRINCIPAL TECHNICAL DETAILS

Cylinders - 2
Piston Dia. & Stroke - 10in & 15in (254 x 431)
Overall length - 19ft 6 1/4in (5.96m)
Width - 7ft 6in (2.15m)
Wheelbase - 5ft (1.52m)
Wheel Dia. (inc flange) - 2ft 9in (838mm)
Working pressure - 160lb/sq.in (11.5kpa)
Drawbar pull - 6000lb (2.67KN)
Weight in working order - 18 tons
Class - Beaufort

'Pectin' is seen propelling the GWR Toad brakevan.

'Pectin and our GWR 'Toad' brakevan are seen in May 1972 during their time at Hereford.
© Geoff Cryer- See Geoff's Diaries by CLICKING HERE

RUSTON 0-4-0 Shunting engine (Owned by Ruston Group)

Engine Type 48DS with 48 hp Ruston 4YC engine. Works number 458959 and engine number 460158. New to AEI 11/12/1961 of Sheffield Road glassworks, Chesterfield, Derbys with a last known working location AEI Lamp & Lighting at Harworth (Notts). Some 130 locos of this class were built before this example and only 6 afterwards as demand for locos with low power and traction effort had dwindled. The engine has been numbered DS1174 and named 'Yeo'.

A similar engine (DS1169) used to work at the Yeovil Junction permanent way department (The loco was ex-works on 14/5/1946 (Serial No 237923) and delivered to the Bristol Aeroplane Co at Weston super Mare. It was sold to BR (Southern Region) in 1948, and was used as a shunter at Folkestone Warren until 1962 when it was transferred to Yeovil Junction.)

This picture was taken during 2003 Santa Specials. The engine now has a vacuum pump fitted under a new cover.

Fowler 0-4-DM (Privately owned)

Number 44. Allocated number 4000007 (Type 400 and 7th constructed) when built in 1947.
Named 'Cockney Rebel' after its owner in 2007 to celebrate its 60th bithday and restoration.

Class 50

Class 50, 50050 (formerly D400) Fearless is under refurbishment at present. Although now numerically the last in series, the engine is in fact the doyen of the class. After withdrawal by British Rail, it was retained for special railtour duties and worked the last BR Class 50 hauled train with 50007 in March 1994. It was subsequently privately purchased and ran for a time on the main line until 1999.

ROLLING STOCK

We are proud to have been entrusted with three wagons belonging to The National Railway Museum which are on loan for 10 years, subject to restoration.

These are:-

1912 - London & South Western Railway Gunpowder van (KDS 61209)
1912 - London Brighton and South Coast Railway 5-plank wagon (3537)
1935 - ICI Nitric Acid tanker (14)

Additionally on site there are three brakevans used for public train rides:-

War Dept to a Southern Railway design (1018). Built in 1942 and purchased from RAF Chilmark in 1995.
Great Western "Toad" (35923) - transferred to our ownership in 2005.
British Railways "Oyster" (DB993706) formerly used for ploughing ballast dropped from wagons.

Other freight wagons consist of a 1895 London & South Western Railway Open Carriage truck (5830), three vans (D785606, B783176 and another unidentified), two Conflats and six Port of Bristol open wagons of various origins (Southern, GWR and LNER). During public open days the vans and Conflats can be used for shunting demonstrations. The Port of Bristol wagons are not on display and no guarantee can be given that any particular wagon can be seen as this is subject to operational requirements.

Visitors from 1 December 2001.