Hunslets - Birmingham Society of Model Engineers

Tracing the Quarry Hunslets

Steve Sparrow BSc (Hons)

Anyone from the BSME will tell you that I am a confirmed Narrow Gauge fan, a condition which has no known cure. As I visit the many narrow gauge railways in both Wales and England pictures of the surviving Hunslet Quarry Locos (mainly from the 'Alice' class) have been taken. Here are the ones we have seen up to date. Others will be added as I get them (Partner and holiday visits permitting!)

Not the best picture I ever took, 'Alan George' was undergoing maintenance work during our weekday visit to its base on the Teifi Valley Railway. Maybe we'll get a better shot someday.
The Teifi Valley Railway are short of volunteers all the way up to trainee Fireman, even Steam Drivers - On the weekday we visited they ran a Diesel loco because they didn't have a Steam loco driver available. Maybe this article could help put that straight.

This shot of Alan George's cab is slightly better.
Dinorwic Quarry locomotives were named after family and friends of the owner or race winning horses. I doubt we are dealing with the name of a racehorse in this case.......

'Thomas Bach'(previously named 'Wild Aster') is seen here at the platform after we took a trip on the Llanberis Lake Railway.

One of the most original (cabless) restored Quarry Hunslets 'Alice', seen resting outside the shed at the Leighton Buzzard Steam Railway.
Alice is soon to move to the Bala Lake Railway (late 2003).

Oddly named for modern times,'Holy War' pictured at home on Bala Lake Railway metals.

A shot of Holy War's cab. We visited the Bala Lake Railway on a quiet Tuesday afternoon late in September 2003 and were the only passengers for trip.
The Guard, Driver and Fireman were the most friendly and helpful people I've met on any of my railway visits. I was lucky enough to be invited to Holy War's footplate on the return trip, and (with a little coaching) given charge of the regulator!
I seriously recommend this railway to both enthusiasts and people looking to join up as volunteers.

Stretching the theme a little, a picture of the beautiful Llanuwchllyn Station, main terminus of the Bala Lake Railway.

Strongly recommended for the Hunslet addict - Cliff Thomas' recent book 'Quarry Hunslets of North Wales' published by Oakwood press, ISBN
0 85361 575 6.

Seen at home on the Launceston Steam Railway (Sept. 2004) are 'Velinheli' and 'Covertcoat', restored by the owners Kay and Nigel.

On shed at the Launceston Steam Railway stands 'Lilian'.
Kay is in the last stages of the restoration of 'Dorothea'. The light was too bad to photograph her progress but I'm sure we'll see Dorothea back on rails soon......

More Hunslet pictures will be added as we get them.......

Not the best picture I ever took, 'Alan George' was undergoing maintenance work during our weekday visit to its base on the Teifi Valley Railway. Maybe we'll get a better shot someday. The Teifi Valley Railway are short of volunteers all the way up to trainee Fireman, even Steam Drivers - On the weekday we visited they ran a Diesel loco because they didn't have a Steam loco driver available. Maybe this article could help put that straight.
This shot of Alan George's cab is slightly better. Dinorwic Quarry locomotives were named after family and friends of the owner or race winning horses. I doubt we are dealing with the name of a racehorse in this case.......
'Thomas Bach'(previously named 'Wild Aster') is seen here at the platform after we took a trip on the Llanberis Lake Railway.
One of the most original (cabless) restored Quarry Hunslets 'Alice', seen resting outside the shed at the Leighton Buzzard Steam Railway. Alice is soon to move to the Bala Lake Railway (late 2003).
Oddly named for modern times,'Holy War' pictured at home on Bala Lake Railway metals.
A shot of Holy War's cab. We visited the Bala Lake Railway on a quiet Tuesday afternoon late in September 2003 and were the only passengers for trip. The Guard, Driver and Fireman were the most friendly and helpful people I've met on any of my railway visits. I was lucky enough to be invited to Holy War's footplate on the return trip, and (with a little coaching) given charge of the regulator! I seriously recommend this railway to both enthusiasts and people looking to join up as volunteers.
Stretching the theme a little, a picture of the beautiful Llanuwchllyn Station, main terminus of the Bala Lake Railway.
Strongly recommended for the Hunslet addict - Cliff Thomas' recent book 'Quarry Hunslets of North Wales' published by Oakwood press, ISBN 0 85361 575 6.
Seen at home on the Launceston Steam Railway (Sept. 2004) are 'Velinheli' and 'Covertcoat', restored by the owners Kay and Nigel.
On shed at the Launceston Steam Railway stands 'Lilian'. Kay is in the last stages of the restoration of 'Dorothea'. The light was too bad to photograph her progress but I'm sure we'll see Dorothea back on rails soon......