This class OX1 locomotive was built by Peckett & Sons in 1932 and delivered new to the Mountain Ash Colliery of Llewellyn (Nixon) Ltd. Designed as a powerful industrial,
The locomotive was named Sir Gomer after Sir James Gomer Berry (1883-1968) who was newspaper proprietor and industrial magnate who was born in born in Merthyr Tydfil. He was created a baronet in 1928, raised to the peerage in 1936, and received a viscountcy in 1945.
It spent its entire working life of nearly 50 years there although its ownership changed. In 1936 ownership passed to Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries and the the National Coal Board (NCB) following nationalisation in January 1947.
It was permitted to work on BR metals in the exchange sidings.
It was finally retired in 1981 as one of the last working steam locomotives in the area.
It was loaned to the Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum on the Cardiff harbourside before it passed ito the care of the Butetown Historic Railway Society (BHRS) in 1982.
After many years of work by a few volunteers the locomotive was fully restored to working order by 1993. The BHRS bought the it for £100 in 1995 and used it to give passenger rides along a short section of isolated track at Cardiff Bay (Bute Road until 1994) station.
In 1997, the BHRS moved to Barry Island and became the Vale of Glamorgan Railway Compamy (VoGRC). Clearance problems between the track and the locomotives coupling rods limited its usefulness. As a result the locomotive moved to the Battlefield Line Railway in 2001.
The locomotive remains based on the Battlefield Line Railway although it has visited a number of heritage railways. It is currently operational and is available for sale.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 