Alan Keef

Alan Keef's works at Lea; Locomotive "Woto" at an open day in 1999

Alan Keef Ltd is a British narrow gauge railway engineering company which manufactures, overhauls, and deals in narrow gauge locomotives, rolling stock and associated equipment.

The Limited Company was formed in 1975 at Cote, Bampton, Oxon, continuing what Alan Keef had already been doing for some years as an individual. In 1986 the company moved to larger premises at Lea, near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

The first new loco was built in 1976. To date (2008) over eighty locos have been built – steam, diesel and electric. Most have been miniature or narrow gauge except for two standard gauge steam locos for Beamish Museum – the replicas of "Steam Elephant" and "Puffing Billy". In 2008 Alan Keef Ltd built the frames, running gear and mechanical parts for two Parry People Mover railcars for use on the Stourbridge Town branch (139001 and 139002). A number of Alan Keef's locomotives are replicas of steam locomotives but with diesel power. These are referred to as steam outline (s/o) in the listing below.

In 1987 the company took over the production of Motor Rail locomotives.

In addition to the replicas for Beamish the company has also helped restore a number of historically significant engines including both UK preserved Baldwin Class 10-12-D locomotives – No. 778 – which now works at Leighton Buzzard Light Railway and more recently No 794 (referred to as No 590) [1] from the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.

During the annual Open Day in September at the Alan Keef Headquarters, the public is welcome to see and ride examples of rail equipment from visiting exhibitors, as well as its own in-house rail equipment, on the facility's 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge and 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge tracks.[2]

New & Rebuilt Locomotives

Works No. Plated Year Number/
name		 Wheel
arrangement		 Gauge Class To Notes Image
 
1 1974 "Trixie" 0-4-0ST OC 2 ft (610 mm) Trixie First steamed at Cote on 05/09/1974, sold to Merion Mill Railway in January 1975. Returned to Alan Keef in 1976 and resold to Rail Rebecq in Belgium where it was renamed "Paula". Now located at the Tacot des Lacs railway, France. Alan Keef Ltd did not build Trixie, though they were heavily involved in the design. The actual builder was Trevor Barber, former manager of the Whipsnade and Umfolozi Railway.
2 1976 Skippy 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) Motorised skip wagon [3]
3
4 1979 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) Wilmslow Peat Farm Out of Use[3]
5 1979 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd Out of Use[3]
6 1981 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) Private Location [3]
7 1982 BARBIE 4wDM 21 in (533 mm) Pleasure Beach Railway, Blackpool [3]
8 1982 T2 SALLY 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd Out of Use[3]
9 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) Leemspoor Narrow Gauge Museum, Netherlands [4]
10 1983 5 ALISON 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) Gartell Light Railway [3]
11 1984 IVOR 4wDH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) Thorpe Park [3]
12 1984 SIR GEORGE 4wDH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) Greenlea Light Railway [3]
13R 1984 4wDH 15 in (381 mm) Ruston & Hornsby 452280 rebuilt Evesham Vale Light Railway [3]
14 1984 4wDH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) John Redden's Scrapyard, Wellingborough [5]
15 1984 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) India [6]
16 1985 WEASEL 0-6-0DH s/o 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Replica of Wisbech & Upwell Tramway locomotive Wells & Walsingham Light Railway [7]
17 1985 3 0-4-0DH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) Cotswold Wild Life Park Railway [3]
18 1985 05 581 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd [3]
19 1985 JEFFREY 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd [3]
20R 1986 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) Ruston & Hornsby 283513 rebuilt William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd Dismantled[3]
21 1987 05/582 4wDH 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) Chemring Energetics UK Ltd [3]
22 1987 05/583 4wDH 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) Chemring Energetics UK Ltd [3]
23 1988 3 JACK 0-4-0DH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) East Hayling Light Railway [3]
24 1988 DH U-series Kyung Dong Coal Mine, Korea [8]
25 1988 DH U-series Kyung Dong Coal Mine, Korea [8]
26 1988 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) 40S[8] William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd Out of use[3]
27
28 1989 T9 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) 40S[8] William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd [3]
29 1988 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 60S Nigeria [8]
30 1990 "Taffy" 0-4-0VBT VC 2 ft (610 mm) Alan Keef De Winton replica
31 Chassis (AKL) 1990 Body, Tender and Mechanical (RVM) 2012 Princess Swee' Pea 0-6-0 DH s/o 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Hastings Miniature Railway Originally constructed by Alan Keef Ltd, all that remains is the front chassis and smoke box.[9]
32
33
34 1991 0-4-0DH s/o Singapore Zoo Railway Garden ornament[10]
35
36 1990 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 60S Nigeria [8]
37 1990 85S Chemicals & Fertilisers of Port Harcourt, Nigeria [8]
38 [11] 1991 "Trijntje" 0-4-0T OC 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) De Efteling B.V. Efteling Steam Train Company
39 1992 SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL 0-6-2DH s/o 15 in (381 mm) Blenheim Park Railway [3]
40
41 1992 0-6-2DH s/o 15 in (381 mm) Haigh Railway [3]
42
43 Guyana Sugar Corporation [8]
44 1993 4wDH 3 ft (914 mm) Peatlands Park Railway [3]
45 1993 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) India [6]
46 1993 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) Woodhead Tunnel [3]
47 1994 T5 SANDRA 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd [3]
48
49 1994 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) John Muir Country Park Railway [3]
50 1994 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) India [6]
51 1995 0-6-2DH s/o 15 in (381 mm) Cricket St Thomas Railway [3]
52 1996 PAM 0-4-0DH 15 in (381 mm) Wotton Light Railway [3]
53
54 1998 DENSIL 0-6-0DH s/o 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Wells Harbour Railway [12]
55 1998 4wDH 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Walton Water Treatment Works
Scrapped December 2010		 [3]
56
57
58
59R 1999 80 BEAUDESERT 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) Motor Rail 101T018 Leighton Buzzard Light Railway [3][8]
60 2000 Edward Milner 0-6-0DH 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) Buxton Miniature Railway [13]
61 2000 SIR WALTER RALEIGH 0-4-0DM s/o 18 in (457 mm) Bicton Woodland Railway [3]
62 2002 4 0-2-0+2wDH Lartigue Monorail Listowel & Ballybunion Railway [3]
63 2001 JAMES GORDON 0-4-0DH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) Alford Valley Railway [3]
64 2001 POMPEY B-B DH 15 in (381 mm) Wotton Light Railway [3]
65 2001 MARGAM CASTLE 0-4-0DH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) Margam Country Park Railway [3]
66 2002 2 THE EARL OF OAKFIELD 0-4-0DH 15 in (381 mm) Difflin lake Railway [3]
67 2003 4wBE 2 ft (610 mm) Llechwedd Slate Caverns [3]
68 2003 4 BELLA 0-4-0DH s/o 2 ft (610 mm) Cotswold Wild Life Park Railway [3]
69R 2003 9 MARK TIMOTHY 2-6-4T OC 15 in (381 mm) Winson 20 rebuilt Bure Valley Railway [3]
70 2004 LADY ALEXANDRA 0-4-0DH s/o 20 in (508 mm) Great Woburn Railway [3]
71 2004 "PUFFING BILLY" 4wG VC 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Replica of 1813 locomotive Beamish Museum [3]
72R 2004 313 4wBE 2 ft (610 mm) Wingrove & Rogers 5568001 rebuilt Groudle Glen Railway [3]
73
74 2005 HOWARD 0-6-0DH s/o 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Wells Harbour Railway [14]
75R 2007 2 BICTON 4wDH 18 in (457 mm) Ruston & Hornsby 213839 rebuilt Bicton Woodland Railway [3]
76
77 2007 LYDIA 2-6-2T OC 15 in (381 mm) Perrygrove Railway
78R 2007 6 4wDH 3 ft (914 mm) Motor rail 102T007 rebuilt Difflin Lake Railway [3]
79 2007 7 FLYNN 0-6-0DH 15 in (381 mm) Longleat Light Railway [3]
80 2007 BORIS 0-6-0DH 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Hotham Park Miniature Railway [15]
81
82
83 2008 ERIC 0-6-0DH 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Lappa Valley Steam Railway [16]
84 2008 SIR PETER GADSDEN 4wBE 2 ft (610 mm) Blists Hill Victorian Town [3]
85R 2010 BUNTY 2-6-2T+T OC 15 in (381 mm) Construction started by Neville Smith, completed by Alan Keef Ltd. Heatherslaw Light Railway [3]
86 2010 MERLIN 0-4-0DH 2 ft (610 mm) Wicksteed Park Railway [3]
87
88
89
90
91
92
93R 2013 "STEAMPLEX" 4wVBT Motor Rail 5877 rebuilt Groudle Glen Railway [17]
94 2013 Winston 0-6-0DH 15 in (381 mm) Blenheim Park Railway operating in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, England. [3]
60SD757 1986 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 60S Ghana Bauxite Ordered by Ghana Bauxite from Simplex Mechanical Handling Ltd but delivered by Alan Keef Ltd.[8]
40SD530 1987 4wDM 2 ft 8 1⁄2 in (825 mm) Motor Rail 40S Volks Electric Railway[3] Originally for Butterley Building Materials Ltd, ordered by them from Simplex Mechanical Handling Ltd but delivered by Alan Keef Ltd.[8]
M001 1988 2a-2DH Monorail Mrs. Whites Garden Ltd, Wiltshire [3]
M002 1989 M002 IVOR 2a-2DH Monorail Skip wagon Alan Keef Ltd Stored[3]
M003 1989 2a-2DH Monorail Skip wagon Alan Keef Ltd Stored[3]
1977 PW 3 REDGAUNTLET 4wPM 15 in (381 mm) Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway [3]
1979 "Thomas" 4wVB VCG 2 ft (610 mm) Telford Development Corporation To Telford Horsehay Steam trust c.1987
1988 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) Motor rail 9932 rebuilt Chilmark Mine & Teffont Quarry [3]
1988 8 2 ft (610 mm) Baguley 2w-2DM Railcar Leighton Buzzard Light Railway Rebuild of railcar to unpowered carriage.[3]
1993 1 DROMAD 0-4-2T OC 3 ft (914 mm) Kerr Stuart 3024 rebuilt Cavan & Leitrim Railway [3]
1995 2w-2DH Railcar 3 ft (914 mm) Drewry Cars 1495 rebuilt Cavan & Leitrim Railway [3]
1999 CHARLES 0-6-0DH s/o 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) Ferry Meadows Railway [18]
2001 STEAM ELEPHANT 6wG 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Joint construction with Dorothea Restorations, replica of Steam Elephant. Beamish Museum [3]
2004 COL. FREDERICK WYLIE 4wDH 2 ft (610 mm) Hunslet 9349 rebuilt Beeches Light Railway [3]
2004 3 ENTERPRISE 4wDH 3 ft (914 mm) Motor rail 60S382 rebuilt Waterford & Suir Valley Railway [3]
E762 2012 "Lyn" Replica 2-4-2T 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) Lynton & Barnstaple Railway various components, and final assembly of 1898 replica

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alan Keef.
  1. ↑ http://test.whr.co.uk/stock/steam/baldwin-794 Baldwin 794/590 Loco description
  2. ↑ Lea Bailey Light Railway - Alan Keef Open Day, 21 September 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 3.39 3.40 3.41 3.42 3.43 3.44 3.45 3.46 3.47 3.48 3.49 3.50 3.51 3.52 3.53 3.54 3.55 3.56 3.57 3.58 3.59 Industrial Railway Society (2012). Industrial Locomotives (16EL). Industrial Railway Society. ISBN 978 1 901556 78 0.
  4. ↑ Thomason, Steve. "The Springfield Agricultural Railway - Locomotives". Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "3nd - Narrow Gauge Diesel / Petrol Locomotive Record No: 9445". UKLocos.com. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Darvill, Simon. "Indian / South-Asian Industrial Locos". Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  7. ↑ Best, Steve. "4md - Miniature Diesel / Petrol Locomotive Record No: 11976". Preserved Railway Stocklist. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 Rowlands, JAS. "Simplex (narrow gauge) Locomotives - The Alan Keef Years". Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  9. ↑ trainguy. "Hastings Miniature Railway". Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  10. ↑ Stuart. "Flower Train". cymro76's photostream. Flickr. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  11. ↑ http://www.industriespoor.nl/Hoofdstuk29.pdf ALAN KEEF, Ross-on-Wye GB Keef K38 type Bt bwj. 1991 spw. 600 mm, 1991- De Efteling Kaatsheuvel
  12. ↑ Best, Steve. "Record No: 11973". Preserved Railway Stock List. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  13. ↑ "4md - Miniature Diesel / Petrol Locomotive Record No: 11867". uklocos.com. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  14. ↑ Best, Steve. "Record No: 11974". Preserved Railway Stock List. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  15. ↑ Best, Steve. "4md - Miniature Diesel / Petrol Locomotive Record No: 11740". Preserved Railway Stocklist. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "4md - Miniature Diesel / Petrol Locomotive Record No: 10759". UKLocos.com. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  17. ↑ New Haven Neil. "Groudle Glen News". Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  18. ↑ "4md - Miniature Diesel / Petrol Locomotive Record No: 11829". uklocos.com. Retrieved 29 September 2013.

External links