New arrivals at the Vale of Rheidol

This week, we were excited to announce the arrival of the last two Collection ‘X’ locomotives from their long-term storage in Surrey. These are the Avonside ‘Heisler’ Renishaw No. 4 (built 1931), and the Bagnall Articulated Renishaw No. 5 (built 1936). They had both lived at the late Peter Rampton’s farm in Surrey for over 50 years, and only Renishaw No. 4 ever saw daylight whilst there.

Peter Rampton, whose life and collection is the subject of the Vale of Rheidol Railway’s new book Narrow Gauge Enigma, visited South Africa on the hunt for more historic narrow-gauge locomotives for preserving in his collection in May 1969. After the visit, he negotiated the purchase of the two Renishaw locomotives from Crookes Brothers, Renishaw Estates. These were sugar estates in the province of Natal. Both locomotives are 2-foot gauge and articulated – Renishaw No. 4 being gear-driven. They were used for hauling heavy trains of sugar cane, but the railway was in the process of converting to diesel traction when Peter Rampton visited in 1969. Both were loaded onto the Union Castle Line’s ship Southampton Castle at Durban, and arrived at Southampton in late August.

Back at Peter’s farm in Surrey, the locomotives were unloaded and Renishaw No. 5 was put into long-term storage. However, between 1975 and 1976, Renishaw No. 4 could be seen in steam hauling the ex-Isle of Man carriage F.68 around the track layout at the farm on occasional public open days. Peter had also managed to purchase a spare boiler made by Hunslet for it in 1971.

It has been around 50 years since Renishaw No. 4 last steamed, and much longer since No. 5 did. Both will be stored in safe conditions at the Vale of Rheidol Railway with the hope for future museum display, and maybe one day, a return to steam.

For the full history and detailed drawings of these locomotives, be sure to get a copy of Narrow Gauge Enigma: The Story of Peter Rampton and his Collection ‘X’ from our shop.