Hi folks,

Here is an interesting story and maybe some railfan on the board may be able to help.

Over in England, a group is rebuilding the Lynton and Barnstaple. This was a two foot gauge railway in Cornwall. Most of the railroad was scrapped in 1935 but the big viaduct, several stations and a few coaches survived. Now here is the interesting part.

"Four of the five engines were sold for scrap, but Lew was shipped to Brazil for use on the plantations there and disappeared from history into the realms of legend."

Sightings of Lew were made through the 1950's.

Was anyone on this board down in Brazil taking photos at the sugar mills in the 40's and 50's?

It would be fun to solve the mystery of where Lew went, and if it survived. I bet a good number of folks in England would appreciate any leads.

Charles

http://www.lynton-barnstaple-railway.org/

bg23338@binghamton.edu

Charles,

I hope someone can help you with photographs of Lew from the 1940s and 1950s.

I have been corresponding with preservationists in South America, and working off of lists I have recieved for awhile now. Brazil is becoming better and better documented; it is now thought that there are 450 steam locomotives remaining in Brazil, of which I have 337 in my "Surviving World Steam Locomotive" database to date. (A Brazilian locomotive was also recently imported to the UK; it was the subject of a recently brief here on RYPN by John Bowers.)

The issue of Lew's existance comes up from time to time on the some of the discussion groups I belong. Everyone in South America, most notablely Ian Thomson have insisted that Lew is long gone; and there is not a locomotive in database that matches her to date.

Still, there is the remote possibility that she will still turn up one day, and I wish you the best of luck.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> Hi folks,

> Here is an interesting story and maybe some
> railfan on the board may be able to help.

> Over in England, a group is rebuilding the
> Lynton and Barnstaple. This was a two foot
> gauge railway in Cornwall. Most of the
> railroad was scrapped in 1935 but the big
> viaduct, several stations and a few coaches
> survived. Now here is the interesting part.

> "Four of the five engines were sold for
> scrap, but Lew was shipped to Brazil for use
> on the plantations there and disappeared
> from history into the realms of
> legend."

> Sightings of Lew were made through the
> 1950's.

> Was anyone on this board down in Brazil
> taking photos at the sugar mills in the 40's
> and 50's?

> It would be fun to solve the mystery of
> where Lew went, and if it survived. I bet a
> good number of folks in England would
> appreciate any leads.

> Charles


Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net

Hi James,

I'm not associated with the folks over in Cornwall. I'm just some guy who likes narrow gauge engines from England. We in America tend to focus on American lines, but I am guessing that some of the American tourists in Brazil during that period were taking pictures of trains instead of bikinis. Pictures of Lew might be in someone's scrapbook. If you ask enough old timers and collectors, you might find what you were looking for.

As you have said, it might turn up. WW&F #9 and those ancient Columbus streetcars were thought to be a myths. But they did survive.

Also, who is Ian Thompson?

Thanks,

Charles

> Charles,

> I hope someone can help you with photographs
> of Lew from the 1940s and 1950s.

> I have been corresponding with
> preservationists in South America, and
> working off of lists I have recieved for
> awhile now. Brazil is becoming better and
> better documented; it is now thought that
> there are 450 steam locomotives remaining in
> Brazil, of which I have 337 in my
> "Surviving World Steam Locomotive"
> database to date. (A Brazilian locomotive
> was also recently imported to the UK; it was
> the subject of a recently brief here on RYPN
> by John Bowers.)

> The issue of Lew's existance comes up from
> time to time on the some of the discussion
> groups I belong. Everyone in South America,
> most notablely Ian Thomson have insisted
> that Lew is long gone; and there is not a
> locomotive in database that matches her to
> date.

> Still, there is the remote possibility that
> she will still turn up one day, and I wish
> you the best of luck.

> -James Hefner
> Hebrews 10:20a


http://www.lynton-barnstaple-railway.org/

bg23338@binghamton.edu

Charles,

Ian is an active railway preservationist in South America, and has firsthand knowledge of some of the preservation activies in South America.

He is active on Rob Dickinson's "International Work Steam Locomotive" website and a group or two on Yahoo. He has published a booklet of preserved locomotives in Chile, and has been a big help with my "Surviving World Steam" Project.

The below link will take you to the South American page of Rob Dickinson's website. Searching for "Ian Thomson" will show his contributions throughout the entire page.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Steam in the Americas 2003
james1@pernet.net