The Golden Valley Light railway

O&K 7529

This 0-4-0 well tank loco was built by Orenstein and Koppel of Germany, and completed in 1914. Its whereabouts from then until some time shortly following the end of the first world war are “unknown”, but it was then recorded working at a sand quarry 15 kms south of Fontainbleau near Paris carrying the number 2. After over 40 years of work it was brought to England in the late 1960's.

Following a number of ownership changes in the UK, it was purchased by a working member at the Cadeby Light Railway in Leicestershire, where it lay until being purchased by Eddie Draper, one of our working members. It arrived on site at Butterley Park on 28th January 1995.

The loco has one unusual feature, a steam-operated bell. This feature would normally be fitted to locos as a requirement for operating on a roadside line.

The loco was consigned to a siding at the GVLR whilst other work, such as the opening of the railway extension in 1999 and other rolling stock took priority. In September 2001 the owner got married, and members of the GVLR shunted O&K 7529 into the Loco Shed so that the happy couple could begin married life restoring it. Since then, a new cab, ashpan and smokebox have been fabricated, and the air brake system largely installed. A Tallyllyn Railway air compressor has been fitted.