A.B.TITTY

0-4-0 side tank A.B.TITTY was the first locomotive delivered to the Swallowdale Railway in 2009. She operated all services in the early days until joined by No.2 BOY ROGER later in the same year.

Originally solid-fuel fired this engine went through two conversions, first to methylated spirit firing and later to butane gas firing. Further improvements in performance were attained in 2013 by fitting new wheel-sets supplied by Dream Steam.

No.1 A.B.TITTY was outshopped from Low End Works as a saddle tank on 2 September 2021 after undergoing a third major rebuild.

The 2021 project entailed:

• New high pressure silver-soldered boiler and high pressure safety valve supplied by RWM Steam
• New chassis (frames, wheels, cylinders, pistons, motion) supplied by RWM Steam
• New inline displacement lubricator and rerouted super-heating steam pipe supplied by RWM Steam
• Side tanks replaced by a saddle tank
• New buffer beams
• New foot-plating
• Raised cab floor
• New cab and roof
• New copper chimney with brass cap
• Replacement and relocation of Bix LPG fuel tank and associated gas pipe

Further mods carried out in August 2023

Firing on this loco was always a problem after rebuilding and spurious readings on the water level gauge glass caused the boiler to run dry; so she went back into works for these further mods:

• A third 8mm vent hole cut into the top of the tank
• Four x 5mm vent holes drilled in the lower sides of the combustion chamber under the tank
• The saddle tank is now bolted to the cab and the smokebox using steel brackets instead of bolting it to the firebox wrapper
• A blowdown valve on the water gauge using a 1/8" pipe-to-pipe 90 deg globe valve which drains down through cab floor
• A regulator handwheel made from a red Wilesco traction engine steering wheel. This makes the loco much easier to drive.

Latest mods carried out in February 2026

• Heatproof ceramic fibre lagging 2mm thickness applied to inside of saddle tank and held in place by heatshield made from tinplate.

Improved performance