Keef Open Day, Lea Bailey and Clearwell - 21 September 2013

The last day of the epic tour found me at Alan Keef Ltd's premises near Ross-on-Wye for the annual Open Day. There were many people I had met during the tour as well as two visiting locomotives that I had come across a number of times. The crowd on such a small site was a little overpowering but a lot of trouble had been done to make this an enjoyable occasion.

Patrick Keef doing a spot of shunting with a much-modified
1939 Wingrove and Rogers battery loco

Kerr Stuart 'Wren' PETER PAN

Barclay gasworks 0-4-0T JACK

Other very interesting visitors were two metre gauge Krauss locomotives that Keefs have restored and a metre gauge tram engine that is going to be converted back from fireless to its original form.

Metre gauge Krauss of 1894

and this 1908 Krauss that was only finished last week

Metre gauge Henschel tram loco of 1899.

A number of locomotives were under restoration or construction in the workshop, including RUSSELL from the Welsh Highland Railway, a Baldwin 4-6-0T, and the 1908 Thomas Green 0-6-2ST BARBER for the South Tynedale Railway.

In the workshop building, BARBER, ex Harrogate Gasworks.
Its rebuilt boiler will be delivered shortly.

A crowded scene with Patrick and Alice Keef centre.

Just over the border in Gloucestershire, a group is establishing the Lea Bailey Light Railway, commencing at the old Lea Bailey gold mine.

A 1975 flameproofed Hunalet

A 1957 Simplex

A very pleasant spot in the forest

The last visit was to Clearwell Caves where one 2ft gauge locomotive is on display and others are in storage.

Another flameproofed Hunslet

The most accessible of several Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM locos