Brand-new steam locomotive being built in Herefordshire up for award

A BRAND-new steam locomotive being built by a renowned Herefordshire business is up for an award.

For visitors to the Alan Keef Ltd Open Day at Lea near Ross-on-Wye on September 24, one highlight was the first public steaming of a new locomotive being constructed for the narrow gauge Corris Railway in Mid Wales.

Alan Keef Ltd, which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary, is a family-run Herefordshire business and authority on narrow-gauge railways in Britain and beyond.

The new engine has been nominated as a contender for an annual award voted for by the readers of Steam Railway magazine and jointly presented by the Heritage Railways Association.

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Steam Railway claims the largest monthly circulation in its field, while the HRA represents the interests of over 100 heritage railways ranging from small operations such as the Corris Railway, set between Dolgellau and Machynlleth in Wales through to major players such as the Severn Valley and Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.

One of the engines on show at the Alan Keef Ltd open day at Lea, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. Picture: David Prior

Combined with the work on the new locomotive in the nomination is volunteer work carried out at the railway station in Corris itself, where the railway has constructed a new platform and revised the track layout which now includes the novel feature of a traverser allowing locomotives to run around their trains.

Subject to fund raising and the completion of the new loco it will be using the traverser and pulling trains on the Corris later in 2023.

One of the engines on show at the Alan Keef Ltd open day at Lea, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. Picture: David Prior

A spokesperson for the Corris Railway said they have been delighted by the partnership with Alan Keef Ltd and the quality of the work carried out in recreating an 1878 design in the 21st century,

The Corris is one of the Great Little Trains of Wales and more information about the new steam locomotive and the railway in general can be seen at www.corris.co.uk

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