Tinkerbell Freelance ‘Isabel’
Isabel was built by locomotive builder Eric Walker in 2004. Eric did not start building steam locomotives until he turned 70, but managed to build 9 in 13 years, which are scattered across various different miniature railways across the UK.
Isabel was originally built as an 0-4-4 (the wheel arrangement for the loco), but on testing could not negotiate the tight corners of Erics back garden railway, it was then split in half and remodelled into a locomotive and tender. It was offered for sale via Station Road Steam, being purchased by a private member for use at Barnards.
She was one of the first steam locomotives to arrive on the line, initially hauling plenty of two and three coach trains from the old station site at Burtonshaw and to Belvedere and back. Around this time the loco was remodelled back into its old 0-4-4 formation (no tender, attached to the loco), and repainted into its existing livery.
As the BMR expanded and more coaches were added to normal running formations, Isabel has not been used as much. She can primarily be seen running demonstration goods trains and engineering trains on special events and galas.