Andrew Barclay Diesel Shunter - For Sale

The Spa Valley Railway is seeking to dispose of Andrew Barclay Diesel Shunting locomotive 'Princess Margaret'.

'Princess Margaret' 0-4-0DM Andrew Barclay Diesel Mechanical, works 376 of 1948. This standard gauge locomotive was supplied to Lever Brothers Port Sunlight works, and later sold on closure to British Gypsum/BOCM Erith, from where it entered preservation in 1985.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/12a_kingm ... 817794218/

The locomotive weighs approx 32 Tons, and is low geared for maximum haulage capability, having a maximum speed of 9mph in third gear. Power is supplied by an 8 cylinder Gardener engine.

This locomotive has been out of use for a number of years and requires full restoration, or could possibly be a source of spares. Offers for purchase of the complete locomotive are invited by Thursday 31st July. Inspection is available to serious parties by prior arrangement. Offers in excess of £5,000 would be considered for the locomotive.

All serious enquires please email: disposals@spavalleyrailway.co.uk with the subject title 'Princess Margaret'.

 

Estimated cost of restoration?

 

5 grand for a long out of use loco of limited use requiring full restoration? Is that the sort of money diesels fetch? I'm amazed!

 

I expect that's not much over scrap value. 32 tonnes of good quality steel, with a little non-ferrous to top it off.

 

Ideally we would like the 8 cylinder Gardner engine at least to go to good home, be restored and run, rather than broken up for spares.

Gardeners are highly thought of especially in the marine world. Have a look at one here : to see what a proper marine restoration looks like. Value in that condition would be in excess of £15K

Fit a few things like direct drive raw water pump etc and a ex railway or fire pump engine could be and have been converted into propulsion units.

Or perhaps a stationary engine fan would be interested to buy it mount it on a trailer and run it at Vintage shows such as the Dorset Great Steam Fair where it would be one of the smaller exhibits.



Brian

 

Certainly the 8L3 used in an 03 or 04 loco is a useful machine. If I had the money I'd buy it as a spare for that reason alone. That marine version seems to have more polished bare metal than I'm used to seeing on a loco.

 

The 8L3 and it's smaller brothers, the 6L3 and downwards is, IMO, the best power unit that was ever fitted to a diesel shunter- both highly reliable and economical. At Mangapps, we have a total of 6 03s, 2 04s, an 0-4-0 Drewry and a Hudswell-Clarke, all fitted with these engines. Almost all are currently operational and are the backbone of our operations.
One reason for the additional polished metal on the marine version is that several fittings which were cast iron on the land-based units (water pumps, for instance) were bronze on the sea-going ones, for anti- corrosion reasons.

 

Yes as an ex marine man it is a disppointment to me and relief to my fellow volunteers that I have been restricted to just a few brass and stainless steel nameplates, gauge boards and copper pipe work on the class 10 Colonel Tomline, 33063 and 207 1317. Of these, the EE lump in the 207 has offered the most visible opportunities for my Brasso tin and polishing rag and this is still work in progress.

Brian