Bagnalls “Judy” and “Alfred” - Dennis Wilcock Bagnalls “Judy” and “Alfred” are dwarfed by the BR Mk1 coach they are hauling on the GCR on 26th April, 2013. NORMAN BATES
The Great Central Railway experienced a visit from two unusual and diminutive locomotives for the Swithland Steam Gala held over 26th to 28th April, 2013. Both were Bagnall 0-4-0 saddle tanks built to essentially the same design. Apart from their very short wheelbase, five feet, they are extremely low being only seven feet six inches tall. To accommodate the train crew the cab floor is lowered between the frames. They were built to such restricted dimensions to work at Par Harbour near St Austell in Cornwall where tight curves dictated the wheelbase and a bridge under the GWR’s Cornish Main Line gave rise to the very restricted headroom. Both locomotives use the valve gear developed by the locomotive builders, the Stafford company W G Bagnall, and have outside cylinders which allowed them to be maintained without the use on an inspection pit. “Judy” was built in 1937 as Works Number 2572. Initially she was not named but finally received her nameplates in 1960. “Judy” was withdrawn in 1969 as boiler repairs were deemed too expensive for the limited amount of rail traffic then handled at the harbour. She remained in the locomotive shed at Par until 1978 when she went to the china clay museum near St Austell where she was displayed as a static exhibit.
“Judy” could be moved to Bodmin General railway station a specialist had to remove the asbestos insulation around the boiler. A grant was made from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards her restoration. Part of the firebox had to be renewed and one of the four axle journals was found to have suffered water damage. Heavy and specialised repairs were undertaken by contractors, but much of the work was done at Bodmin by volunteers. The boiler was steamed in June, 2008 and she moved under her own power on 31st October, 2008 for the first time in nearly 40 years. She is now fitted with a vacuum brake so that she can operate passenger trains, “Judy” entered service on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway in April, 2009. “Alfred” was built in 1953 as works number 3058. Its working life was spent at Par Harbour having spent a short period at Ponts Mill in 1955. “Alfred” was withdrawn in 1977 and went into preservation at Bugle in 1978. In 1987 it had to move and found a new home at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway. Restoration, including the fitting of a vacuum brake to allow it to pull passenger coaches, was completed when it steamed again in 2002. While at the GCR both locomotives have been used on the Mountsorrel Branch giving shunting demonstrations contrasting sharply with the giants of steam roaring past on the double track main line.
In 2004 she was given to the Cornish Steam Locomotive Preservation Society. Before “Alfred” at Par in June, 1971. MICHAEL ALDERMAN MainLine l Issue 155 l Summer 2013 l 57