1970-built coal-fired steam locomotive, Dougal, has been purchased by the Ruislip Lido Railway, bringing the line’s locomotive fleet up to seven.

The locomotive will need a short programme of work to prepare it for use at the Ruislip Lido Railway after being based at The Valley Railway Adventure in Evesham.

Dougal will leave The Valley Railway Adventure before Christmas and will head to a contractor, where it will be regauged from 15 inches to 12 inches as well as have a series of modifications to make it compatible at Ruislip.

The aim is to welcome Dougal to Ruislip in mid-2026.

Dougal was built in 1970 by Severn-Lamb Ltd for MiniRail Ltd at Longleat House, but moved to The Valley Railway Adventure (previously the Evesham Vale Light Railway) in 2004.

In 2009, Dougal had a major rebuild, which included a new boiler and tender, making it a very powerful locomotive.

Dougal joins Mad Bess as operational steam locomotives at Ruislip, the latter being a scale version of Blanche at the Ffestiniog Railway.

“We’re thrilled to have secured Dougal and to welcome it to the Ruislip Lido Railway as part of the home fleet. Having a second steam locomotive at Ruislip running alongside our current steam locomotive Mad Bess, is something the Society has aspired to achieve for many years, and it’s fantastic news for securing the future of the locomotive. The Ruislip Lido Railway is run entirely by volunteers and this achievement is a testament to their dedication and enthusiasm.”

Matthew Streeton, Chairman of the Ruislip Lido Railway Society

“I became aware that Dougal might be available and, after visiting and inspecting it with our Chief Mechanical Engineer, we knew it would be a great fit for Ruislip. Its 15-inch origins make it well-suited for conversion to a powerful 12-inch gauge locomotive, and once completed, it will be an excellent addition to the fleet. I’d like to thank all parties involved at both Evesham and Ruislip who have helped make this all possible.”

Chris Ladyman, Secretary of the Ruislip Lido Railway Society