The largest and second youngest (after 69!) steam loco in the fleet is Bagnall 401.
In 1950 WG Bagnall designer Harold Wood, produced what Bagnall's hoped would be their standard post-war design, built to compete with the diesel shunters flooding the market. They were high spec and designed to be low maintenance. Featuring Walschaerts valve gear, roller bearings, rocking grate, and hopper ash pans. All unusual in industrial locomotives.
In the end, only three were built.
All were dispatched to the Steel Company of Wales in 1951. Ours was works No.2994 later named 'Vulcan'. She was used at the Port Talbot steelworks for just 6 years before being replaced by diesel locomotives.
Victor & Vulcan were sold in September 1957 to the Austin Motor Company for use at their Longbridge plant. The third 2995 was sold to the NCB and scrapped in 1967. Both the Austin locos were preserved at the West Somerset Railway, returning to steam in December 1977. In 1986 Vulcan arrived at Middle Engine Lane. She returned to her Steel Company of Wales Ltd livery in 2020.
No.403 'Victor' is now preserved at the Lakeside & Haverthwaite railway.
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| 401 at Port Talbot, 1955 |
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| Sister locomotive, 402, shunting slag ladles |
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| 401 at Longbridge Works, Austins |
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| 401 at Longbridge Works, Austins |
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| Sister locomotive, 403, sporting her Austins livery at Longbridge Works |
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| 401 running at the West Somerset Railway |
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| 401 shortly after arrival at Middle Engine Lane, 1980s |
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| 401 running at NTSR, 1997 |
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| 401 running at NTSR, 2020 |
Photos credits:
Rob Clark
Roger Darsley
Dave Lumsden
George Matthews
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