Meet the Fleet
We have a small fleet of hard-working locomotives here at Bodmin Railway. They are of varying sizes and purposes. Our fleet provides the motive power required to haul our services. Many of our locomotives are prominent to the line or region, some of which have worked over the line in service with British Railways before the line closed in 1983.
Want to know what locomotive is running today? Check out our locomotive roster by clicking here.
Steam Locomotives
GWR '4575' Class 2-6-2 Small Prairie Tank No. 5552
Built: 1928, GWR Swindon Works
Livery: BR Lined Green
Condition: In Service
5552 is a loco at home in Cornwall, having been allocated to Truro Shed for its last years from where it was withdrawn in May 1961. Similar locos worked the line from Bodmin Road to Wadebridge. In 1986 the Bodmin Railway Trust bought the loco and 17 years were spent restoring it and in September 2003 it was returned to service. In 2013 its boiler ticket expired and it was due for overhaul. It returned to traffic following its overhaul in August 2023.
GWR '8750' Class 0-6-0 Pannier Tank No. 4612
Built: 1942, GWR Swindon Works
Livery: GWR Green
Condition: Awaiting overhaul
One of 863 pannier tanks built, the GWR’s most numerous class, 4612 did time in Bristol, Swindon and finally South Wales. Scrapped in 1965 it was saved from the scrapyard in 1981 as a spare for parts. A private owner saved her again and it was taken to the Flour Mill in the Forest of Dean for overhaul. In 2000 the Bodmin Railway Trust bought the loco and returned her to steam.
Bagnall 0-6-0 Saddle Tank J94 No.2766 '75178'
Built: 1944, Stafford Bagnall Works
Livery: War Department Green
Condition: Undergoing overhaul
Built in Stafford at Bagnall Works in 1944 and numbered 2766. It was shipped out to Calais to help in the final months of the war effort, carrying its current War Department livery and number 75178. After the war it was bought by the National Coal Board and put to use shunting coal trains in South Wales where it was involved in a runaway accident. It was withdrawn in 1976 and taken to the South Devon Railway to be a spare for parts. Brought to Bodmin in 1997 it went through a 20-year restoration and finally steamed again in 2017. 2766 was withdrawn in December 2022 following several years hard work and work has begun on her heavy overhaul and some much needed TLC.
Bagnall 0-4-0 Saddle Tank No. 2572 'Judy'
Built: 1937, Stafford Bagnall Works
Livery: E.C.C. Par Docks Green
Condition: In service
Judy is a good deal older than her twin Alfred, but they look identical. Built at a low-level to go under the low bridges at Par, Judy was used to shunt China Clay at Par docks. She passed away some time as a static display at the Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum but in 2002 she was handed to the Cornish Steam Locomotive Preservation Society who secured a Heritage Lottery award to fund her restoration which was completed in 2009. In 2019 her boiler ticket expired and she underwent a heavy overhaul, returning to traffic in December 2022.
Bagnall 0-4-0 Saddle Tank No. 3058 'Alfred'
Built: 1953, Stafford Bagnall Works
Livery: E.C.C. Par Docks Green
Condition: Awaiting overhaul
Alfred was an early acquisition by Bodmin Railway, and was used at Par Docks to shunt China Clay. Alfred and twin sister loco; Judy, gave the late Reverend W. Awdry the idea for the Bill and Ben twins in the Thomas books.
Diesel Locomotives
BR Class 50 Co-Co No. D442/50042 'Triumph'
Built: 1968, English Electric Vulcan Foundry
Livery: BR large Logo, Black Roof
Condition: In service
The Class 50’s were built by English Electric for BR in 1968 for use on the West Coast Main Line prior to electrification. The class were transferred during the mid-to-late 70’s to the Western Region where they put their power to good use on our gradients. Withdrawn in 1990 the Bodmin Mainline Diesel Group bought the loco in 1991 and restored it to pristine condition in 1993. It currently sports a BR Blue Large Logo livery with a black roof, typical of a Laira based engine which 50042 was during it’s time in the Westcountry.
BR Class 47/3 Co-Co No. D1787/47306 'The Sapper'
Built: 1963, Brush Falcon Works
Livery: Railfreight Distribution Triple Grey
Condition: In service
47306 came to the railway in 2007, straight from its base in St. Blazey after it was retired from use by the mainline (albeit having spent a few years in the shed at St Blazey after it was retired from use). It came virtually complete and after a few checks was able to be started up. 47’s were synonymous with Cornwall, like its fellow members of the diesel fleet, so fits in well.
BR Class 37 Co-Co No. D6842/37142
Built: 1963, English Electric Vulcan Foundry
Livery: BR Blue
Condition: Undergoing overhaul
This type 3 was first based at Cardiff Canton. In 1978 it was moved to the West Country and was allocated to Plymouth Laira depot, for use on China Clay trains to replace the type 2’s that worked those trains. It would have worked China Clay trains across Cornwall, including on the Wenfordbridge line passing through Bodmin General and Boscarne Junction before it closed in 1983. It’s very much at home working passenger or demonstration China Clay services here.
BR Class 08 0-6-0 No. D3558/08444
Built: 1958, Derby
Livery: BR Green
Condition: Undergoing overhaul
08444 was bought in 1987 by the Bodmin Railway Trust and worked some of the railways first passenger trains. It’s been in regular use as a shunting loco for all its time at Bodmin whilst also providing motive power on works trains and the former Fitzgerald Lighting freight services. It is in need of some TLC and work has now commenced on 08444s overhaul
BR Class 10 0-6-0 No. D3452
Built: 1957, Darlington
Livery: BR Black
Condition: Awaiting overhaul
D3452 was built in 1957 for BR but spent most of its life privately owned by English China Clays shunting China Clay trains at Fowey docks. It moved to Bodmin in 1989, however a little worse for wear with a slipped crank, so was limited to 5mph but undertook regular shunting duties and works trains. It requires an overhaul as well and the slipped crank rectifying so is in the queue to go into the workshops.
BR Class 121 'Bubble car' No. 121020
Built: 1960, Pressed Steel Works
Livery: Chiltern Railways Blue
Condition: In Service
Class 121 ‘Bubble’ cars were made for branch line work of the Western Region of BR and 121020 suits the line perfectly. In the short days between the end of steam in Cornwall and closure of the line, services between Bodmin Road and Wadebridge were worked by the Class 121 and it is possible 121020 did run over the line in the 60’s (however unconfirmed). 121020 is famous as it remained in mainline passenger service until 2017! It spent its last days on the mainline with Chiltern railways working the Princess Risborough to Aylesbury branch. After it was finally withdrawn from service in 2018, 121020 was bought by the Bodmin Railway Trust, and arrived in a fairly good state having been well looked after by Chiltern Railways. In September 2023 121020 was returned to traffic ready for our Diesel Gala and we hope to see it out and about more next year!
Rolls-Royce Sentinel 0-4-0 No. S10029 'Denise'
Built: 1960, Sentinel Ltd Harlescott Works
Livery: E.C.C. Orange
Condition: In service
Denise was given donated to the railway as ECC no longer required it. Being a former China Clay Shunter Denise is very much at home on our line, given our China Clay heritage. Due to the fact it is only fitted with air brakes rather than the traditional vacuum brakes we use on our stock; Denise can’t haul passenger trains. However, it is regularly used for shunting as the ‘bubble’ cab provides an excellent view to the driver in all directions. Denise has recently just come back into traffic having been in the Workshop for repairs.
Visiting Locomotives
GWR '4575' Class 2-6-2 Small Prairie Tank No. 5553
Built: 1928, GWR Swindon Works
Livery: BR Black
Condition: In Service
5553 will be staying with us during 2024, on hire from our friends at Peak Rail. 5553 is the sister of our own loco 5552 which will be returning to traffic later this year. 5553 spent her last year in traffic with BR at St Blazey Shed (83E), not far from Bodmin and did work the branch line from Bodmin Road to Padstow during this time.
2-4-0WT Beattie Well Tank No. 30587
Built: 1874, Beyer Peacock Works for the LSWR
Livery: BR Black
Condition: Awaiting Overhaul
30587 has recently re-joined the railway and is on long-term hire from the National Railway Museum. 30587 is very at home here at Bodmin Railway, although having been built in the 1870s for suburban work out of London Waterloo, 3 members of the class (30585-30587) found new life at Wadebridge Shed working clay trains to and from the Wenfordbridge Clay dries. A working they undertook until 1962, being some of the oldest locomotive designs working on British railways at the time. We are very proud and privileged to be looking after the Beattie and hope in future to overhaul the loco. The agreement has seen 30587 move from York to Bodmin on an initial 3-year static loan agreement, which we hope will lead to an overhaul and running agreement in the future. But for now, we are just delighted to have the Beattie back at Bodmin. The loco will be displayed on Platform 2 on selected days over the next 3 years and be housed under cover in the running shed the rest of the time.
BR Class 10 0-6-0 No. D3489 'Colonel Tomline'
Built: 1958, Darlington
Livery: Felixstowe Docks & Railway Company Black
Condition: In Service
D3489 will be with us during 2024 on hire whilst our own Class 08; 08444, is under overhaul, providing reliable shunting and works train motive power.
BR Class 50 Co-Co No. D407/50008 'Thunderer'
Built: 1968, English Electric Vulcan Foundry
Livery: Hanson & Hall Rail
Condition: In service
50008 ‘Thunderer’ is with us at the end of September for our diesel gala and will be providing plenty of thrash and mileage alongside our own Class 50 ‘50042’ and other members of our diesel fleet!