Previous Locos
Over the years, we’ve had many locos come and go. This page lists locos that were either resident at AVR or were based here for several months or years before moving on. This isn’t a list of guest locos.
There are far too many to have their own individual pages, so this page gives brief details about them all.
Hunslet Austerity
WD132 Sapper
Sapper is one of the numerous 'Austerity' saddle tank locomotives built for the War Department in World War 2 and was built in 1944. After military service, it was purchased by the National Coal Board for colliery work. Sapper has the distinction of being the last steam loco in industrial use in the UK, being withdrawn at Bold Colliery in 1984. It was initially preserved at Chatterley Whitfield Mining Museum, but changes in ownership saw it move to South Devon Railway and then to East Lancashire Railway. Sapper came to AVR in 2016 and became resident until leaving in 2022. It was most recently based at Kent & East Sussex Railway.Built: 1944
Withdrawn: 1984
At AVR: 2016-2022
Owner at AVR: Private owner
Hudswell Clarke ‘Long Tank’
Manchester Ship Canal no.70
This locomotive was one of 70 built for the Manchester Ship Canal Railway, once one of the largest privately owned railway networks in the country. It was known as a 'long tank' having a water capacity of 850 gallons compared to 580 of the 'short tanks'.More info on this loco can be found here.
Built: 1921
Withdrawn: ?
At AVR: 2004-2008
Owner at AVR: ??
Peckett B2
1636 Fonmon
Fonmon was built by Peckett & Sons of Bristol for a cement works near Barry in South Wales.It arrived at AVR in 1976 and saw use until the end of its boiler ticket in 1990. A change in ownership saw it move to the Spa Valley Railway in Kent, where it was overhauled and ran until 2009. Fonmon was sold to the Ribble Steam Railway in 2016 where it currently resides on static display awaiting overhaul.Fonmon - Ribble Rail Preserved British Steam LocomotivesBuilt: 1924
Withdrawn: c1950s
At AVR: 1976 to mid-1990s
Owner at AVR: Private owner
British Rail class 73
73101 The Royal Alex
73101 was built by British Rail in 1965 for use on the Southern Region of BR. It is capable of operating on a diesel engine or from an electrified 3rd rail. It arrived at AVR in 2006 and became part of the home fleet of diesel locos. It's owners sold it in 2012 and it's believed the new owners had the intention of using it for mainline work. As of 2024, it resides in Eastleigh Works in Hampshire. It is the favourite loco of trustee Joseph Dean.
Built: 1965
Withdrawn: early 2000’s(?)
At AVR: 2006-2012
Owner at AVR: Dean Forest Diesel Association
British Rail class 107 DMU
Sc52006 & Sc52025
The Class 107 DMU was formed of two separate carriages numbered SC52006 and SC52025 - built in 1960/1961. It spent its entire working life with British Rail in Scotland. The two carriages were originally part of two separate sets numbered 107431 and 107445. Each carriage had two 150hp Leyland engines giving a total of 600hp. The DMU arrived at AVR in 2007 and was used on quiet days such as February and October half terms. Having been out of service for a little while, a change in ownership saw it move to the Somerset & Dorset Railway in Midsomer Norton,Built: 1965
Withdrawn: 1980s/1990s
At AVR: 2007-2022
Owner at AVR: Private owners group
British Rail Class 07
07010
07010 was built by Ruston Hornsby for British Railways for shunting around Southampton Docks. Unlike other examples of the class, 07010 was sold directly into preservation. A change in ownership saw the loco move from the West Somerset Railway to AVR in the 1990's. The loco suffered an electrical failure in 2014, and hasn't run under its own power since. In 2024, the loco was moved to another heritage railway.Built: 1962
Withdrawn: 1976
At AVR: 1994-2024
Owner at AVR: Private Owner
LMS Stanier Class 5
45379
Built: 1937
Withdrawn: 1965
At AVR: 1974-1990s
Owner at AVR: Bristol Suburban Railway Society
45379 was built in 1937 for the London Midland & Scottish Railway and is part of the numerous class of locos known as ‘Black 5’. It was purchased by the Bristol Suburban Railway Society and moved to Bitton in 1974. A change in ownership saw the loco move to the Mid Hants Railway in the 1990s. 45379 paid a visit to AVR at our End of Season Gala in October 2011.
GWR 4575 Class
5521
Built: 1927
Withdrawn: 1962
At AVR: 2009/2012/2015-16
Owner at AVR: Flour Mill Workshops
5521 was built in 1927 by the Great Western Railway as part of the numerous 4575 Class of 'Small Prairie' locomotives primarily for branch line work. 5521 spent most of its working life in Devon and was withdrawn in 1962. It was restored in 2007 and spent 2 years operating in Eastern Europe before returning the UK. In 2013, it was repainted into London Transport red livery and renumbered L150 to celebrate 150 years of the London Underground. It was resident at AVR for 3 separate stays during 2009, 2012, and 2015.Barclay diesel shunter
446 Kingswood
Built in 1958 by Andrew Barclay and Sons of Glasgow (works number 446), this 0-4-0 diesel was part of a cancelled order for British Railways Class 01 locomotives. The engine was delivered to the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1959 and spent its entire life in Wales, at Carmarthen and Rogerstone power stations. It was purchased and moved to Bitton in 1984 and in 1988 it was agreed that the locomotive should be named `Kingswood` in honour of the Borough that Bitton was in at the time, and an official naming ceremony took place in October with the then Mayor of Kingswood present. The loco left AVR in 2021, and now resides at the Helston Railway in Cornwall.Note: the Borough of Kingswood was abolished along with the County of Avon in 1996, however the loco retains its Kingswood name.
Built: 1958
Withdrawn: 1984
At AVR: 1984-2020
Owner at AVR: Private Owner
Sentinel 0-8-0DH
610 General Lord Robertson
Built in 1963 for the Ministry of Defence, this locomotive is a variation of a standard Sentinel industrial shunter design, and is now the only 0-8-0 Sentinel left in existence. It worked on the Longmoor Military Railway until closure in 1969, then moved to Shoeburyness where it stayed until sold out of MOD service in 1984. The locomotive moved to the Mid-Hants Railway where it spent much of its time on passenger services before being withdrawn and offered for sale in 1986. It was purchased and moved to Bitton in October of that year and, following a overhaul of one of its final drives, saw regular use both for shunting and on passenger trains. Having spent a long period of time out of use, the loco left AVR for restoration.Built: 1963
Withdrawn: 1984
At AVR: 1986-2022
Owner at AVR: Private Owner
British Rail Class 07
07010
07010 was built by Ruston Hornsby for British Railways for shunting around Southampton Docks. Unlike other examples of the class, 07010 was sold directly into preservation. A change in ownership saw the loco move from the West Somerset Railway to AVR in the 1990's. The loco suffered an electrical failure in 2014, and hasn't run under its own power since. In 2024, the loco was moved to another heritage railway.It is the favourite loco of trustee Joseph Dean.
Built: 1962
Withdrawn: 1976
At AVR: 199x-2024
Owner at AVR: Private Owner
British Rail Class 07
07010
07010 was built by Ruston Hornsby for British Railways for shunting around Southampton Docks. Unlike other examples of the class, 07010 was sold directly into preservation. A change in ownership saw the loco move from the West Somerset Railway to AVR in the 1990's. The loco suffered an electrical failure in 2014, and hasn't run under its own power since. In 2024, the loco was moved to another heritage railway.It is the favourite loco of trustee Joseph Dean.
Built: 1962
Withdrawn: 1976
At AVR: 199x-2024
Owner at AVR: Private Owner