Alan Keef Ltd open day celebrates firm’s half-century
ALAN Keef Ltd celebrated its
50th anniversary on September 24 with the first open day at the works near Lea, Herefordshire, for four years. The event drew almost 850 visitors, a new record, and raised £6500 for the local church. There were unprecedented queues for the steam-hauled passenger rides on the 2ft gauge demonstration line.
Patrick Keef’s Bagnall 0-4-0ST Woto, the Keef family-owned De Winton 0-4-0VBT Taffy (back in steam for the first time in more than 12 years) and Graham Morris’ Kerr, Stuart 0-4-0ST
‘Wren’ Peter Pan visiting from its Leighton Buzzard Railway base, were periodically rotated to pull the two newly restored ex-Dalmunzie Railway passenger vehicles. This pair of unique
Motor Rail carriages were rescued from derelict condition in 2016 by Patrick Keef and restored largely by Alan Keef as a ‘Covid project’.
Further steam action was provided by Corris Railway’s newbuild 0-4-2ST No. 10 steaming along a separate short length of track (see facing page).
Projects displayed in the works encompassed:
■ The frames of Isle of Man Steam Railway Beyer, Peacock 2-4-0T No. 10 G H Wood (the Severn Valley Railway-built boiler was outside in the yard) which are receiving an extensive mechanical overhaul that includes replacement of part of the front of the frames.
■ The chassis of a French
Coferna diesel which is being rebuilt for a private collector.
■ 0-4-0DH AK17/1985 Otis from Cotswold Wildlife Park which is being fitted with a new Perkins engine and Linde hydraulic pump.
■ Ex-Ferry Meadows Railway 10.25in gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway B-class 0-40ST which is receiving attention for a private line in Devon, together with the partially built first of two new carriages being constructed by Keef’s for the line.
■ A metre gauge bogie being restored and refurbished for a private collection in the Netherlands.
■ In the yard were the Wingrove & Rogers battery electric locos acquired by the Talyllyn Railway which will form the basis of a new yard shunter (RM, May and October).
Also featured was an exhibition outlining Alan Keef Ltd’s history and a new book written by Alan Keef detailing every locomotive the company has built.