Lesley returns to service on the miniature railway!

Lesley is an 0-4-0 miniature steam locomotive modeled on those used as English quarry engines. Like our Sweet Creek steam locomotive, the prototype ran on 2 foot gauge track.  Since our model is designed to run on 7 1/4" track, its scale is 3.5" to the foot or almost 1/3 full size.

After running sporadically last season, it was decided that Lesley would be overhauled over the winter.  A team of volunteers led by Michael Guy did a great job!  Lesley even got a nice new coat of paint!

This past weekend, Lesley was pressed into service pulling passenger train. Despite the fact that this engine is quite a bit smaller than Sweet Creek, it easily pulled three car trains of passengers.  In fact, a number of years ago, we put Lesley to the test and handily pulled an estimated three tons of load at the Golden Horse Live Steamers facility in Hamilton, Ontario.

Posting by Russ Milland; Video by Stephen Gardiner; Photos by Lance Gleich and Stephen Gardiner