Bagnall fireless locomotives (preserved)

Six of the only 14 Bagnall fireless locomotives built by W. G. Bagnall of Stafford, England, have been preserved. Brief histories of them are given in this article and they are listed by works number. All are standard gauge 0-4-0s except where otherwise stated.

This unusual 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge 2-4-0, named "Unique", is the first fireless locomotive built by Bagnall. It was ordered by Edward Lloyd Ltd in February 1923 and delivered to their paper mills at Sittingbourne, Kent in February 1924.

During its operational life, the steam reservoir was charged to 220 psi (15 bar) from a charging plant at Kemsley, and a pressure reducing valve admitted steam to the cylinders at 80 psi (5.5 bar). It was capable of working for 8 hours on one charge, although was rarely used for more than 4 hours at a time. It remained the most powerful engine on the site until the 0-4-4-0T Monarch was delivered in 1953. It continued in use until the closure of the former Lloyd's system, and was acquired by the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway. It is now preserved, but has not worked in preservation, as there is no longer a source of high-pressure steam available to charge it.

Number 2370 is a 0-6-0 ordered in December 1928 by the Distillers Company and delivered to their Salt End Works, Kingston upon Hull, in May 1929. After working at Procter & Gamble, soap manufacturers, at West Thurrock, Essex, it moved in late 1979 to the North Norfolk Railway, where it went on static display at Sheringham railway station (North Norfolk Railway) for a number of years before moving (circa 2004) to a private site at Holt Farm, Broughton Astley, Leicestershire. In September 2008, it moved four miles to Blaby, Leicestershire, where it is plinthed in a field alongside the Leicester-Birmingham railway line and is being used, now in a semi-derelict and unmaintained manner, to publicise a campaign to re-open Blaby railway station.

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