Technical Details:
| Builder: Hunslet Engine Co., Leeds | No.: 8561 |
| Weight: 4 tons | Year: 1978 |
| Horsepower: 28 hp |
This flameproofed underground locomotive arrived at Amerton on 29th January 1996 having been purchased from a scrap-yard in Fife. The locomotive is typical of an National Coal Board undeground design and has hydraulic drive to the two axles, it is fully air-braked and fitted with a variety of hydraulic and pneumatic safety devices.
Previously working at Allerton Bywater and Castlebridge Collieries, the locomotive is fitted with a Perkins 3.152 indirect injection diesel engine and is generally of very sound construction. The locomotive has now been re-gauged to 2 feet and has undergone an extensive rebuild, the Perkins engine being virtually new. The gearbox and torque converter have been fully overhauled with modifications to obtain a slightly higher top speed at the expense of slightly reducing the maximum load the locomotive can handle. Originally the locomotive was air-start, due to the flameproof requirements of the National Coal Board, however this was removed during the rebuild at Amerton Railway and replaced with a traditional 12V starter motor as the air start systems were incredibly loud and required the air reciever to be charged up in advance. The large high pressure air reciever and Westinghouse air compressor was retained as it was required for the air braking system, and used for the air-operated controls fitted to the locomotive during the rebuid.
A new cab and body work was designed by one of our volunteers, John Strike, based on the contemporary Hunslet “Wagonmaster” locomotives as seen on Irish Peat railways, and the parts were fabricated and assembled at Amerton, making a modern comfortable and very capable machine. Gordon has become our main passenger diesel.
Gordon is also regularly used on works trains, being easy to control and having an integrated high capacity air reservoir and an auxiliary air feed, useful for operating the “Minnow” ballast hopper.
