Locos and Stock
Our trains are not ‘miniature’, nor are they scale models. They are full-size (albeit small) narrow-gauge locos, coaches and wagons. The drivers don’t sit behind the locos, they sit inside or on them. These trains are built for rugged commercial use; they haul over 75,000 passengers and travel several thousand times around the circuit every year!
Locomotives
No.1 “Sprocket”
- 0-4-0 Battery Electric (Built 2001: Maxitrak Ltd)
- Hudson Hunslet diesel outline. Our first ever locomotive.
No.3 “The Tram”
- Bo-Bo Battery Electric (Built 2001: Bekonscot Engineering Dept)
- Freelance outline tram inspired by visits to the Seaton Tramway.
No.5 “Bouncer”
- Bo-Bo Battery Electric (Built 2007: Bekonscot Engineering Dept)
- Freelance shunting loco built with maximum traction bogies.
No.6
- B-B Diesel Hydraulic (Built 2009: Bekonscot Engineering Dept)
- Advanced shunting loco built for our steep gradients and tight curves.
Coaches and wagons
Coaches & Wagons
We have three sit-astride coaches fitted with anti-tip boards for extra safety. There is a braked 4 wheel wagon to act as a brakevan or for goods transport.
Other locos associated with the BLR
No.2
- Was a 0-4-0+T BE. (Built 1990s: Pfeifferbahn/Scott)
- Freelance outline. The little No.2 got us through many a day, but was ultimately too small as the BLR grew in popularity. She is now in storage.
No.4
- 4w-4w BE (Built 2001: Dunn/Fuller/Hill)
- Freelance steam outline loco using Sinclair C5 motors. Bogies were two older 4 wheel small shunting locos combined. This ran for two successful seasons but was dismantled in 2004.
Mardyke Intercity 125
Owned privately, this set is under full restoration and rebuild at Bekonscot. One power car is Mardyke Falcon, from Himley Hall Model Village in the West Midlands. Four of the coaches are also from this location. One of them was rescued as the bulldozers moved in, whilst the other three and the power car had previously been sold on to Parry People Movers and then regauged to 5” gauge for a private owner. The other power car and coach are by Mardyke and from the Strand Miniature Railway in Gillingham, Kent.
The coach was obtained from a rubbish tip owned by the owner and donated to us. The power car (HMS Pembroke) appeared on eBay, despite it being thought that it had been scrapped some 15 years previously.
The full set is too long to run at Bekonscot but occasionally makes an appearance on the circuit for test purposes. The set will visit other railways from late 2009. The complete set measures just over 70 feet in length and will have some very unusual features built in when complete.
