Our Trains

Built December 1950 in Swindon
Withdrawn British Railways 1965

The 'Manors' were the smallest and lightest of the Great Western Railway's 4-6-0 and were built for use on secondary lines such as the North Wales Cambrian Coast. The original design for the Manors was made in 1938, but there was an order for ten more to be built in 1950. 7827 is an example of the later batch and, though un-mistakably a GWR 4-6-0, it is actually a British Railways locomotive.

In 1966 Lydham went to Woodhams yard in Barry and was rescued in 1970 and went to Newton Abbot for restoration. 7827 made a return to service in 1973, ready for the first main season of the then Torbay Steam Railway, now the Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company.

Lydham's claim to fame is that it once hauled the royal train in the late 1950's, with its sister, 7828 Odney Manor.

Built December 1951 in Swindon
Withdrawn British Railways 1966

The British Railway 4-6-0 standard class 4 was built for use on the Western, Midland and Southern regions of the recently nationalised rail network. They were extremely versatile mixed traffic locos, frequently used on passenger duties.

75014 was allocated to a number of Midland region sheds during its short life and 1964 saw it allocated to Shrewsbury from where it was withdrawn and sent to Barry scrap yard in December 1966. In Barry scrap yard for fourteen years, it rotted and donated parts to other locos, until it was bought as a wreck in 1981. A four man syndicate based on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway brought it back to steam in 1994. The syndicate decided to sell the loco in 2002 and the Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company were fortunate to become the new owners. Although only arriving in 2002, the locomotive's boiler certificate expired in 2004 and the loco received a major overhaul, especially to the boiler, requiring many new parts, including a complete new boiler barrel. The overhaul took many years eventually seeing a return to service in December 2016. Braveheart is now a mainstay to the services on the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

Built August 1924 in Swindon
Withdrawn British Railways 1963

This class of locomotive was designed for use on heavy coal trains in the Welsh valleys, although two of the class were allocated to St Blazey in Cornwall for china clay traffic. 5239 was based at Neath for all of its working life being withdrawn from there in 1963 and sent to Barry scrap yard.

Rescued by the Dart Valley Railway, it arrived at Newton Abbot in June 1973 where most of the restoration work was carried out. In June 1976 it was transferred to Paignton for completion, entering traffic in 1978.

Back in service in 2022 following her recent overhaul.

During the Second World War the whole railway system was under constant barrage from air attack and the United States Army Transport Corps was instructed to design and construct a class of locomotives suitable to haul heavy freight trains, initially in the UK, and subsequently across Europe and Africa. The total number built was over 2100. They were designed to be used for a single purpose - to move American and Allied supplies and troops all over the world, also they were expected to be disposable. The expected working life of each loco was intended to be just 90 days!
At least 25 have survived into preservation globally, with 8 being in the UK. No. 2253 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1943, being shipped to Britain in May 1943. Following the invasion of Europe by Allied troops, it was shipped to France in September 1944, working throughout Europe. At the end of hostilities, it was sold to the Polish State Railway, seeing many more years of service.
Following a private purchase in 2013 she underwent an extensive major overhaul and steamed again in July 2019, also receiving the name “Omaha”, in honour of the owners father who was involved in the D-Day landings on Omaha Beach. It is currently on a ten-year lease to the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

Built December 1920 in Swindon
Withdrawn British Railways 1964

This class of locomotive was designed for use on heavy coal trains in the Welsh valleys, although two of the class were allocated to St. Blazey in Cornwall for china clay traffic. 4277 was based at Aberbeeg for most of its working life being withdrawn from there in 1964 and sent to Barry scrapyard. For 22 years 4277 lay rusting in Barry scrapyard near Cardiff until it was rescued in June 1986 and restored to full working order in private ownership.It has been used on many heritage railways around the country since then.The PDSR bought the loco in 2008 after a major overhaul from its original owner for exclusive use on the railway. 4277 is the sister of another of our locos, 5239 Goliath.

4555 was built at Swindon and started its working life in 1924 at Tyseley depot. It was built with outside steam pipes, enlarged bunker and improved superheating unlike earlier members of the class which were modified later.

In the 1960's, 4555 worked occasionally on the Dart Valley branch and headed the last BR freight train on the line in 1962. It was purchased, in working order, for preservation straight from BR service in1965 and was the first engine to arrive on the newly preserved line in 1965. She hauled the official opening train on the Dart Valley Railway with Dr Beeching aboard in 1969.

After an extensive overhaul it was hired to the East Somerset Railway from 2020 for a two year period.