Builder: Motor Rail 20hp ‘Simplex’ – modified by ALR.
Works number/year built: 8644/1941
Previous bases: New to MoD; Creekmoor Light Railway (where named Druid, after the BR ‘Warship’ loco D815); Alne Tile Works; Abbey Light Railway; Welsh Highland Heritage Railway; Pen-y-Bryn (private) railway, South Wales.
Notes on the prototype: Originally a ‘normal’ Simplex with cab, but required a new engine. A 3-cylinder petter diesel engine from a forklift truck was fitted, which also had the luxury of electric start, but with it’s new radiator would not have fitted within the ‘classic’ Simplex look. A new body and cab were fabricated from whatever steel was in stock and ended up a sort-of steam outline/early diesel outline with round spectacles in the cab, a chimney for an exhaust, electric lights and an air whistle. Originally painted in Penrhyn Quarry style lined black, but later repainted into a far more eyecatching Dajeerling/Fairbourne railway style blue with white stripes. Druid, in ALR guise, has become a bit of an iconic loco in it’s own right and various 3D printed models are available of it in 009 and 7mm scale, as well as a ready to run version in 7 ¼” gauge from Phoenix locomotives!
Notes on the model: This is the second model of Druid. The original one was the first scratch-built loco I bukilt for the layout, using plasticard and brass, including some kits custom etched by Narrow Planet. It was mounted on the chassis from a Nigel Lawton WW1 bow-framed Simplex kit that Nigel had kindly sold separately to me. During the building of the chassis I managed to bend the lay shaft and rather than replace it I persisted. It ran, but was very noisy! Eventually it gave up the ghost and I replaced the whole model, keeping the original intact in a display case at home. The new model is 3D printed to my own CAD design, and on an identical chassis to Odin, built by Mark Clark / Locos ‘n’ Stuff. As they are on identical chassis, Druid and Odin can successfully top-and-tail the passenger train, which was often done in real life.
