“Lord Oliver Brown”

South Devon Railway is to host the award-winning locomotive “Lord Oliver Brown” for the main 2026 season.

Thanks to the Plym Valley Railway and owner Marc Bellin, the very brightly coloured Polish industrial tank locomotive TKh 5374 “Lord Oliver Brown” which arrived in June is now staying for the rest of the main 2026 season, until October 2026. The locomotive operated its first SDR passenger trains over the Mixed Traction Weekend on 20 and 21 June, with more dates now being added. This is the locomotive’s first visit away from the Plym Valley Railway since 2016 and the first time it will have appeared in its striking livery away from home.

“Lord Oliver Brown” returned to steam in 2025, painted in its striking livery of pink and green, in memory of local boy Oliver Brown who sadly died from a rare blood cancer at the age of 11 in 2019. Since returning to steam, the locomotive has helped to raise over £30,000 for Children’s Hospice South West, and further fundraising is planned during the locomotive’s stay at the South Devon Railway. In March 2026 the locomotive was awarded the Steam Railway’s Readers Award for 2026.

Originally built in 1959 in Poland to the TKh49 Ferrum design, of which over 450 locomotives were built, with some being exported around the world to China, Romania, and Hungary. With a reputation as simple but powerful shunting locomotives, it’s no surprise that many survived into the 1990s and early 2000s in active service in Poland. “Lord Oliver Brown” was imported into the UK in 1992 directly from its former home at the steelworks in Ostrowiec, seeing use on the Northampton and Lamport Railway before moving to its new home in Plymouth.

This will provide something very different to the usual GWR locomotives seen operating services on the SDR, and the locomotive’s bright livery and charitable work will be sure to see a high demand from families and enthusiasts alike for the chance to ride behind “Lord Oliver Brown” through the valley of the River Dart.

“Lord Oliver Brown” will be in the diesel path on selected dates, starting from Totnes at 10.30am.

Photo credit: Sam Ryder