Ceridwen

Entry posted by Ruston in A January 1, 2023

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Ceridwen was built by Peckett,& Sons Ltd. in 1896, one of their W4 class 14-inch saddle tank locomotives. She was new as No.3 to Exuperias Gittins & Co. Railway Contractor for use on the contract to improve the Calder Vale Mineral Railway after it gained a Light Railway Order and was upgraded to carry public passenger services. She spent time between other contracts in Gittins' plant yard, near Wrexham until being sold, in 1908 to The Hughes Navigation Coal Co. at their Nant-Y-Mynydd colliery in South Wales. It was here where she gained the nameplates and where she worked alongside another W4 named Taliesin. In 1919, Ceridwen was returned to Pecketts to have a new boiler fitted and to have the cab lowered and the footplate dropped in order to work at one of the company's subsidiaries, the Rhymney Patent Solid Fuel Works. She worked here until being laid aside, in 1938, when, among other things, major work was required to the firebox.

In 1943 Ceridwen was requisitioned by the Ministry of Supply and was sent to The Yorkshire Engine Company, in Sheffield, to be overhauled before being sent to work at The Harboro Stone Co. in Derbyshire. It was from here that Strong bought her after the quarry and works closed, 1971. She was a regular performer at Watery Lane and was favoured over the diesels by her usual driver.

She was sold to members of the Foxfield Railway in 1978. You won't find here here though as she is currently undergoing a rebuild at a private location.

A colourised photo of Exuperias Gittin's No.3, at Brookfoot, on the CVMR, circa 1897.