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ALAN KEEF LTD OPEN DAY 2008

  
     
 

Saturday 30 August 2008 marked the annual Charity Open Day at the Lea, Herefordshire, works of Alan Keef Limited, manufacturer of small steam, diesel and other locomotives and rolling stock. From 1100 to 1600 model railways, refreshments, children's activities and book and media sales occupied the normally workshops at the side of the A40 road between Gloucester and Ross on Wye.

 
     
  Saturday 30 August 2008 marked the annual Charity Open Day at the Lea, Herefordshire, works of Alan Keef Limited, manufacturer of small steam, diesel and other locomotives and rolling stock since 1968. The family firm mainly deals with railways ranging in gauge from 101/4" to 3'6" although there has been the occasional standard gauge product and ventures into monorails, autoclave and boat launching trolleys and even a bob sleigh training track.

From 1100 to 1630 model railways, refreshments, children's activities and book and media sales occupied the normally workshops at the side of the A40 road between Gloucester and Ross on Wye.

This photo essay feature attempts to capture the excitement of the event but for more official details click on the picture above

  
     
 

Two foot gauge yellow liveried Simplex Motor Rail 40SD502 of 1975 is a later version of "Digger" - seen in the top photograph - and is a standard product as built until about 1987. It is the 2 1/2 ton version fitted with a Deutz engine and could also be supplied weighing 31/2 and 41/2 tons. It has been refurbished for a private customer.

  
     
  Two foot gauge yellow liveried Simplex Motor Rail 40SD502 of 1975 is a later version of "Digger" ( Motor Rail 8882 of 1944 seen in the top photograph ) and is a standard product as built until about 1987. It is the 2 1/2 ton version fitted with a Deutz engine and could also be supplied weighing 31/2 and 41/2 tons. It has been refurbished for a private customer. This particular machine was formerly used at Minworth Sewage Works and has a cut-out section in the front bonnet (complete with vertical handle) to allow a flagman to ride on the locomotive during manoevres that involved crossing a main road near the site.

As proud successors to Motor Rail Ltd and Simplex Mechanical Handling Ltd who manufactured some of the best known and rugged light industrial locomotives, Alan Keef Ltd are able to offer full technical back-up to existing Simplex locomotive users and have exported new Simplex locomotives too.

In addition to the supply of new locomotives Alan Keef Ltd regularly recondition existing older locomotives by fitting new engines, clutches, reconditioned gearboxes and wheelsets along with new bodywork to suit customers specific requirements. This includes a basic steam-outline style if required. The reconditioned loco option often provides a more viable option than buying new for some customers. Alan Keef Limited are also able to supply a full range of spare parts for all locos, with most regularly used parts available from stock for next day delivery.

  
     
 

Although Alan Keef Ltd are strongly associated with narrow gauge railways, this chassis - complete with prime mover and horizontal flywheel - for a Parry People Mover is destined for trials on the the standard gauge Stourbridge branch in the West Midlands. When fitted with a passenger carrying body the whole vehicle will resemble the model at the rear, complete with destination indicator and yellow warning panel.

  
     
  Although Alan Keef Ltd are strongly associated with narrow gauge railways, this chassis - complete with prime mover and horizontal flywheel - for a Parry People Mover is destined for trials on the the standard gauge Stourbridge branch in the West Midlands. When fitted with a passenger carrying body the whole vehicle will resemble the model at the rear, complete with destination indicator above the three section windscreen and yellow warning panel.  
     
 

In steam in front of the blue painted workshop - and matching ex BR van body - was narrow gauge 0-4-0ST "Peter Pan", built in Stoke on Trent in 1922 as Kerr Stuart & Co Ltd works number 4256.

  
     
 

In steam in front of the blue painted workshop - and matching ex BR van body - was narrow gauge 0-4-0ST "Peter Pan", built in Stoke on Trent in 1922 as Kerr Stuart & Co Ltd works number 4256.

  
     
  In steam in front of the blue painted workshop - and matching ex BR van body - was narrow gauge "Wren" type 0-4-0ST "Peter Pan", built in Stoke on Trent in 1922 as Kerr Stuart & Co Ltd works number 4256. The peripatetic Leighton Buzzard based locomotive was originally built for Devon County Council and worked in Beacon Down Quarry, Parracombe, Devon.  
     
 

Even older - and slightly further away from the A40 behind a large red-oxide coated boiler - was "Rishra" - another 0-4-0 narrow gauge tank engine, this time Baguley Cars Ltd of Burton on Trent works number 2007 of 1921.

  
     
  Even older - and slightly further away from the A40 behind a large red-oxide coated boiler - was "Rishra" - another 0-4-0 narrow gauge tank engine, this time Baguley Cars Ltd of Burton on Trent works number 2007 of 1921.  
     
  Even older - and slightly further away from the A40 behind a large red-oxide coated boiler - was "Rishra" - another 0-4-0 narrow gauge tank engine, this time Baguley Cars Ltd of Burton on Trent works number 2007 of 1921.  
     
  Even older - and slightly further away from the A40 behind a large red-oxide coated boiler - was "Rishra" - another 0-4-0 narrow gauge tank engine, this time a product of Baguley Cars Ltd of Burton on Trent. Works number 2007 of 1921 is also the smallest locomotive on the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway. Repatriated from its Indian resting place at a water works in Kolkata (Calcutta) by Michael Satow, the founder of the Indian Railways Museum in New Delhi "Rishra" is the only surviving Baguley steam loco, and one of only a very few built; the works number sequence for steam locos started at 2000. She is believed to be the only surviving loco with Baguley valve gear, similar to the Bagnall-Price gear which was adopted by Bagnall after E.E. Baguley left that firm.  
     
 

Representing Alan Keef Ltd's own products was six coupled side tank "Lydia" , works number 77 of 2007. Advantage of the Open Day audience was taken to display leaflets for the 15" gauge Perrygrove Railway on the buffer beam.

  
     
 

Representing Alan Keef Ltd's own products was six coupled side tank "Lydia" , works number 77 of 2007. Advantage of the Open Day audience was taken to display leaflets for the 15" gauge Perrygrove Railway on the buffer beam.

  
     
  Representing Alan Keef Ltd's own products was six coupled side tank "Lydia" , works number 77 of 2007. Advantage of the Open Day audience was taken to display leaflets for its new home, the 15" gauge Perrygrove Railway, on the buffer beam.  
     
  The hardest worked Alan Keef Ltd product of the day however was two cylindered narrow gauge vertical boilered "Taffy", which in 1990 became the 30th locomotive to wear the firm's worksplate - the diamond shape echoing that of the much missed North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow.  
     
 

The hardest worked Alan Keef Ltd product of the day however was two cylindered narrow gauge vertical boilered "Taffy", which in 1990 became the 30th locomotive to wear the firm's worksplate - the diamond shape echoing that of the much missed North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow.

  
     
 

The hardest worked Alan Keef Ltd product of the day however was two cylindered narrow gauge vertical boilered "Taffy", which in 1990 became the 30th locomotive to wear the firm's worksplate - the diamond shape echoing that of the much missed North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow.

  
     
  The hardest worked Alan Keef Ltd product of the day however was two cylindered narrow gauge vertical boilered "Taffy", which in 1990 became the 30th locomotive to wear the firm's worksplate - the diamond shape echoing that of the much missed North British Locomotive Company of Glasgow.  
     
 

Among the exhibits visible to passengers as "Taffy" hauled and propelled the single open carriage along the test track at Lea was "Hawk", a coal fired steam boat restored to working order from a heap of bits. A Thames Steam Launch Company boiler raises steam for a single cylinder Stuart 5A type engine that is so slow that it has to be geared UP to turn the single three bladed propeller! "Hawk" has been in use on the Monmouth & Brecon Canal.

  
     
  Among the exhibits visible to passengers as "Taffy" hauled and propelled the single open carriage along the test track at Lea was "Hawk", a coal fired steam boat restored to working order from a heap of bits. A Thames Steam Launch Company boiler raises steam for a single cylinder Stuart 5A type engine that is so slow that it has to be geared UP to turn the single three bladed propeller! "Hawk" has been in use on the Monmouth & Brecon Canal.

For more information on real hawks click on pictures above and below

  
     
 

Among the exhibits visible to passengers as "Taffy" hauled and propelled the single open carriage along the test track at Lea was "Hawk", a coal fired steam boat restored to working order from a heap of bits. A Thames Steam Launch Company boiler raises steam for a single cylinder Stuart 5A type engine that is so slow that it has to be geared UP to turn the single three bladed propeller! "Hawk" has been in use on the Monmouth & Brecon Canal.