Locomotives & Rolling Stock

Meet our varied fleet of 12-inch gauge steam, diesel, and battery-electric locomotives alongside our passenger coaches.

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No. 6 'Mad Bess' — 2-4-0ST+T Steam Locomotive
#Steam Locomotive

No. 6 'Mad Bess' — 2-4-0ST+T Steam Locomotive

Locomotive No. 6 'Mad Bess' is the flagship steam locomotive of the Ruislip Lido Railway and a firm favourite with visitors of all ages. Built entirely in the Ruislip Lido Railway Society's own workshops at Woody Bay between 1986 and 1998, she is a half-scale replica of the famous Hunslet locomotive Blanche from the Penrhyn and Ffestiniog narrow-gauge railways in North Wales. Key Specifications Number & Name: No. 6 'Mad Bess' Type / Wheel Arrangement: 2-4-0ST+T (Saddle Tank + Tender Steam Engine) Fuel: Oil Fired Weight: 3.5 to 4 tons (approx. fuelled) Built: 1986–1998 Builder: The Ruislip Lido Railway Society (Woody Bay Workshops) Special Notes: Designed so she can be regauged between 12-inch and 15-inch gauge Advanced Technical Details Tractive Effort: 1,594 lbs at 85% Boiler Pressure Estimated Drawbar Horsepower (E.D.H.P.): 64 H.P. Cylinders: (2) 5" diameter × 7" stroke Wheel Diameter: 14" driving wheels, 9" carrying/tender wheels Coupled Wheelbase: 2' 6" (Overall Wheelbase: 12' 6") Overall Dimensions: Length 16' 4" • Height 4' 10" • Width 3' 0" Boiler Pressure: 150 psi Minimum Radius Curve: 60 ft Capacities: Water 200 gallons • Fuel (Oil) 50 gallons (or Coal 4 cwt) Valve Gear: Stephenson's link motion via rocking shafts to outside piston valves Brakes: Air brakes to driving and tender wheels Maximum Speed: 17 mph

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No. 10 'Dougal' — 0-6-2T+T Steam Locomotive (Arriving 2026)
#Steam Locomotive

No. 10 'Dougal' — 0-6-2T+T Steam Locomotive (Arriving 2026)

Locomotive No. 10 'Dougal' is the newest addition to the Ruislip Lido Railway fleet, bringing the permanent locomotive fleet to seven and fulfilling the Society's long-standing aspiration to secure a second operational steam locomotive alongside Mad Bess. Key Specifications Number & Name: No. 10 'Dougal' (Arriving 2026) Type / Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-2T+T Steam Locomotive (Coal-Fired) Cylinders: Twin outside cylinders, 4¼" × 5" Weight: Approx. 3 tons (2 tons locomotive + 1 ton tender) Built: 1970 (Major rebuild in 2009 with new larger boiler and tender) Builder: Severn-Lamb Ltd, Stratford-upon-Avon Preparation for Ruislip: Regauged from 15-inch to 12-inch gauge and repainted into early Penrhyn-style lined black livery. History & Career Originally built by Severn-Lamb Ltd in 1970 for MiniRail Ltd at Longleat House, Dougal moved in 2004 to The Valley Railway Adventure (formerly Evesham Vale Light Railway), where it received a comprehensive rebuild in 2009 including a larger boiler and tender. Purchased by the Ruislip Lido Railway Society, Dougal is undergoing regauging from 15-inch to 12-inch gauge and upgrades to join the operational fleet at Ruislip in 2026.

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