A recent(ish) visit to the East Anglian Railway Museum on a very dull Monday afternoon was an enjoyable, if quiet (I seemed to have the whole place to myself apart from two staff members) experience. I spent a couple of hours wandering round, photographing anything that caught my eye and dodging the rain showers.
I found this little gem interesting, a Simplex 4-wheel petrol mechanical locomotive that is far smaller than the wagons it was designed to pull. Built at the Motor Rail & Tramcar Co Ltd in Bedford in 1920 as works no.2029 it is believed to have spent its working life at various locations in Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, more than that I don't know, unfortunately the EARM website tells me more about 'Milo Mouse' ('a friendly character who will guide children around the museum while completing a range of fun activities') than the items on display there and the souvenir guide doesn't mention it either!
I doubt that the odd arrangement of wheels, 3-hole disc on one axle, split spoke on the other is original and I don't know for certain but I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that the small hole on the middle of the side frame is for a starting handle!
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