Bee is a 0-4-0 tank steam locomotive.
History[]
Bee was built in 1877 by Stephen Lewin to the gauge of 19 inches (483 mm: Minimum Gauge) to an unusual tank engine design with the tanks housed on the front of the locomotive for the Great Laxey Mines on the Isle of Man. In 1905 Bee was rebuilt along with it's sibling by W. G. Bagnall to a more conventional saddle tank design. Bee operated until 1934 when due to flooding and dwindling miners the mines and railway closed. Bee was scrapped the next year along with it's sibling "Ant".
Replica[]
The railway reopned as a tourist attraction and replicaes of both Bee and Ant were completed in 2004 by Great Northern Steam as buildrs number 20 and 21 to their original Stephen Lewin design. In 2011 both engines were reboilered are both in operational service.