This locomotive was built by Andrew Barclay and delivered new to Shell Mex Ltd at Ardrossan in March 1928 where it carried the No 8.
No 7 was also a fireless locomotive built by Andrew Barclay but this 0-6-0F (Works No 1953) was delivered a month after 1952.
Fireless locomotives have a steam accumulator rather than a boiler which is charged up with steam from a stationary boiler. The availability of high pressure steam means that a fireless locomotive is a very efficient method of traction.
It had 15 inch x 18 inch outside cylinders and 3 feet driving wheels.
Operations at Shell-Mex ceased in 1986.
In May 1986 the locomotive was transported to the Ayrshire Railway Preservation Group’s site at Minnivey.
The locomotive was subsequently moved to what is now the Doon Valley Railway at Dunaskin which is the Scottish Industrial Railway Centre.
The locomotive has been operational since an overhaul of it was completed in July 2015. This makes it the only operational fireless locomotive in Britain. The only other fireless locomotives to operate in preservation did so during the 1990s. Andrew Barclay Works No 1989 Lord Ashfield at the Museum of Science and Industry at Manchester and Andrew Barclay Works No 2243 Laporte at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 