D100 ELIZABETH

This locomotive is a Drewry design and was built at the Vulcan Foundry , Newton Le Willows, Lancashire. “Elizabeth” was named after the Factory Nurse Miss Elizabeth Poole following a name choice ballot by all members of staff. The locomotive was kept at the Vulcan Site as the works shunter. When railway production ceased the Alderney Railway contacted Lord Weinstock who was chairman of GEC and he referred us to Newton Le Willows. The Vulcan Foundry built many steam locomotives and is also famous for the production of the Deltic diesels together with Class 37’s, Class 50’s and Class 73’s. In addition the Vulcan Foundry built many BR electric locomotives including the Class 86. Elizabeth arrived in Alderney in 1984, in pieces, as the Alderney crane had an insufficient lifting capacity. She was dismantled at the Royal Corps of Transport at Marchwood and brought across on a landing craft. Thanks to Ian Mercer, John Symonds, Graham Brain and Marc Le Blanc she was reassembled and running within six days of arrival.

Elizabeth is an 0-4-0 diesel mechanical powered by a six cylinder Gardner 6L3 diesel engine. This eighteen litre power unit which produces 153 BHP at 1,200 rpm was remanufactured in 2003 by Paul Gardner Engineering of Manchester. The motion was reconditioned and the wheels had new tyres fitted in 2002 by the Mid Hants Railway.