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SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY WINS
Lee Moor Tramway No 2 in its new home
Photo © 2011

1899 built Peckett 0-4-0ST “Lee Moor No.2” has made its long planned move to its new home at Buckfastleigh. For many years it had been exhibited at National Trust owned Saltram House outside Plymouth but a move became necessary when the NT decided they needed the coach house building for a new kitchen area. After talks with the owners, Plymouth Railway Circle, it was agreed to give the engine a new purpose built temporary shed at Buckfastleigh.

Eventually it is planned that the Pecket (the fourth to be located at Buckfastleigh) will be displayed in a new enlarged museum with other SDR exhibits. It won't be able to share tracks with the other SDR engines as it built to the unusual gauge of 4' 6" - often known as Dartmoor Gauge. The Lee Moor Tramway had just two steam engines which were used to operate the top end of the railway around the clay pits at Lee Moor and the first few miles to the Cann Incline. Here wagons were lowered down the rope incline where horses were used to take the short clay trains on to the loading wharves at Cattedown in Plymouth. The route involved a crossing on the level of the Great Western main line at Laira. Traffic fizzled out after the war when it was taken over by road transport and later on via a pipeline. The engines were stored at there shed at Torreycombe for many years until the Lee Moor Tramway Society were given ownership of the No 2 on the basis that they restored both No 1 and No 2. No 2 was moved to Saltram in the mid-70's where it was expected to stay. No 1 went to the Wheal Martyn mining museum near St.Austell where it remains to this day.

Most of the rest of the exhibits from Saltram are expected to follow LMT No 2 to Buckfastleigh. Some will be displayed around the engine in its new shed and the smaller items will be moved into the existing museum.


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