The Baldwin Class 10-12-D was a class of narrow gauge 4-6-0 pannier tank steam locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the British War Department Light Railways for service in France during World War I. About 495 of them were built in 1916–1917 to 600 mm gauge to the order of the UK Ministry of Munitions.
Post-War Service[]
After the war many of these locomotives were sold and went on to work on railways in France, Britain, and India. Indian North Western Railway received about fifty of these locomotives which would later operate at sugar mills in various parts of the country. In Britain they were utilized on several narrow-gauge railways such as the Ashover Light Railway, Glyn Valley Tramway, Snailbeach District Railways and the Welsh Highland Railway.
Preservation[]
Of the 495 locomotives that were built only six known members of this class have been preserved in one form or another.
Four of them are located in the United Kingdom on various heritage railways.
- No. 608 is currently operational at the Ffestiniog Railway and Welsh Highland Railway.
- No. 778 is currently operational at the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway.
- No. 794 is undergoing restoration at the Vale of Rheidol Railway for the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.
- Works No. 44657 is undergoing restoration at the at the Statfold Barn Railway.
One other locomotive (Baldwin 45215) is currently preserved on the Dreamworld Railway in Coomera, Queensland, Australia as Racecourse Mill No. 5. This locomotive worked on a sugar mill in Mackay and prior to the opening of Dreamworld in 1981 it was heavily modified, including a tender, Wild-West style chimney, and a conversion to oil-firing.
In 1954 three members of the class were rebuilt as high-power diesel locomotives in France. One of these three was preserved and now resides at the Tacot des Lacs amusement park.
There are several other examples of this class left abandoned in various parts of the world but due to their poor and deteriorating conditions they are not currently classified as preserved.
In Fiction[]
- The Reverend W. Awdry used this class of locomotive as a basis for his character Stanley in the 'Railway Series' book titled 'Duke the Lost Engine'.