Rolling Stock
Other than six ore wagons discovered underground in the mine in the early 1970s, the engines wagons, track, buildings and infrastructure of the original mine tramway was scrapped in 1935 following the closure of the mine. None of the surviving wagons were available for use on the restored railway and replicas of these and the steam engines were constructed.
Steam Engines
Replicas of the original Stephen Lewin locomotives Ant and Bee were built by Great Northern Steam Ltd of Darlington in 2004. Although both are of the same dimensions as the originals - it was also decided to retain the unique gauge of 19 inches - there are numerous detail differences such as the positioning of the injectors and pipe work, sight glasses, and whistles. Perhaps the most obvious visual difference is the omission of the straps which held the water tanks in position. As a result of the modifications carried out to the engines following delivery, the two replicas are now not identical. Both engines also carry replicas of the original Stephen Lewin makers' plates. See below for technical details.
Ant
Great Northern Steam builders number 20. Delivered to the Great Laxey Mine Railway on 7th April 2004. Rebuilt by Alan Keef Ltd, Ross on Wye, in 2007. Fitted with new boiler in 2011.
Bee
Great Northern Steam builders number 21. Delivered to the Great Laxey Mine Railway on 12th August 2004. Rebuilt by GLMR volunteers during the winter of 2008/2009. Fitted with new boiler in 2011.
Wasp
Battery Electric Locomotive. Built in 1973 by Clayton Equipment Co Ltd. Refurbished and re-gauged from 18 inches to 19 inches by Alan Keefe Ltd. Delivered to GLMR on 22nd May 2009. For technical data see section on WASP on website.
Passenger Carriages
No 1. Built by Alan Keef Ltd, Ross on Wye and delivered to the GLMR in July 2004. Four wheels. Seats 10 passengers on one longitudinal seat.
No 2. As carriage 1 but with additional glazed windows. Delivered to the GLMR in August 2007.
Replica ore wagons
Six unnumbered ore wagons built by The Laxey Blacksmith in 2000. Although visually identical to the original ore wagons, the replicas do not feature the separate chassis and tipping mechanism.
PW trolley
Built in 2006, nicknamed "Jimmy" and used for a variety of PW tasks.
PW Wagon
Acquired from the Manx Electric Railway in 2010, this small four wheel wagon is believed to have once worked on the small tramway at Ballajora Quarry. It originally had a gauge of two feet. Nicknamed "Freddy", modified with a wooden flatbed for use on permanent way work.
Technical details for Steam Locos
Replicas of the original Stephen Lewin locomotives Ant and Bee were built by Great Northern Steam Ltd of Darlington in 2004. Although both are of the same dimensions as the originals - it was also decided to retain the unique gauge of 19 inches - there are numerous detail differences such as the positioning of the injectors and pipe work, sight glasses, and whistles. Perhaps the most obvious visual difference is the omission of the straps which held the water tanks in position. As a result of the modifications carried out to the engines following delivery, the two replicas are now not identical. Both engines also carry replicas of the original Stephen Lewin makers' plates.
The replicas are based on the originals as far as could be ascertained as there is no technical data surviving in the form of drawings.
Builder: Stephen Lewin of Poole, Dorset, England, costing £628 5s being delivered by steamer from Swansea (South Wales) on 7th April 1877
Replica engines: Built by Great Northern Steam Ltd of Darlington, England. Ant delivered 7 April 2004, Bee delivered 12th August 2004
Lewin's works numbers 684 Ant and 685 Bee, GNS numbers Ant 20, Bee 21
Configuration 0-4-0 front tank!
Weight: approx 2 tons
Original Locomotives: Twin inside cylinders of 4 in diameter and 6 in stroke driving the rear axle. (Replica Loco: 3.5in diameter and 8.75in stroke driving rear axle).
Valve gear; Stephenson's operating a slide valve steam chest.
Boiler: Launch (marine) type, (Replica loco has 43 tubes)
Operating pressure 120Ibs/sqin
Overall Length; 8ft 7in
Width; 3 ft
Height to top of chimney; 4 ft 9 in
Four solid Vickers Steel Company wheels of 1 ft 2 in diameter
Gauge: 19 inches
Brakes: Screw operation using wooden brake blocks on rear wheels only.
Originally fitted with a small well tank under the fire box, later replaced with front mounted water tank as on replica locos (Approx capacity 50 imp gallons)
Replica locos have twin sight glasses and twin injectors, and fitted with a steam powered blower.
Access to boiler tubes is usually obtained by removal of firebox and grate rather than the conventional smoke box end.
Boilers on both replica engines replaced in 2011 with items constructed by Andrew Bennetts, Highbridge, Somerset, England.
Original loco: Tractive effort 699lbs (317kg), 22.4HP @ 12mph
Replica loco: Tractive effort 781lbs (354kg), 25HP @12mph
Bennetts information
Bennett Boilers Ltd, Highbridge, England
Equipment: Locomotive Boiler
Serial No. BB024/1
Design code: BS2790. 1969
Product Group: 2
Max operating Pressure: 8.2bar
Max Operating temp:172 C
Corrosion allowance: 0.75 mm
Test Pressure new: 12.5 bar
Date of Hydro test: 7/3/2011
CE0040
Gallery
