Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway No.10

The loco was built in March 1944 as an 0-8-0 tender engine by the Societie Franco Belge at Rheims (works number 2855) to the order of the Feldbahn, the German Military Railways. The loco was built with short side tanks, had an 8 wheeled tender, and was designated Feldbahn type KDL11 (Kreigs DampfLokomotiven), one of a series of standard ranges specified by the army. The standard gauge range KDL range went from KDL1 (Reihe 52) through KDL3 (Reihe 42), with a range of shunters from KDL4 to KDL8. KDL9 and 10 were shunters of 900mm gauge, KDL11 was to 750mm, KDL 12 was available in 750 or 600mm gauge, and KDL 13 was 600mm. When ordered it was intended for service on the Russian front.

Heeresfeldbahn number 2855, it worked at Mittersill on the Pinzgaubahn, shunting the Feldbahn stores depot to the south of the station. It was there when the area was over run by the American Occupational Forces, in September 1944, coming under Allied control. After the end of the War, the locomotive had no further use at Mittersill, and was l oaned to the Salzkammergut Lokalbahn in January 1946. Due to derailments, it was regauged by them from 750 to 760 and purchased outright on 1 April 1950. The loco changed its identity, becoming SKGLB 19 .

On closure of the line, the Steiermärkische Landesbahnen (Styrian Government Railways), StLB bought the locomotive in July 1956, and replaced the half side tanks with full length ones. The StLB workshops also manufactured a coal bunker in 1957 fitted larger tanks, and the weight increased from 22 to 27 tonnes, and scrapped the original tender. For reasons not entirely clear, but possibly because its original type was identical to the ÖBB 699 class, StLB renumbered the loco 699.01. This had the unfortunate result that there were then two locomotives with the same number, one on the StLB, and one working for ÖBB, although by then this loco was officially 699.101. This second - the original 699.01 ( Societie Franco Belge works number 2817) - is now owned by Club 760 and is based on the Taurachbahn at Mautendorf, where it is a regular performer. .

The StLB 699.01 was sent to the Feistritztalbahn and occasionally worked between Weiz and Ratten until 1969.

In the late 1960's, the Welshpool and Llanfair was very short of motive power. Three members took their summer holiday in Austria, investigating a list of 760 mm (2'6") locos that were "up for disposal". Most were, as the paper had made clear, fit only for scrap. But 699.01 at Weiz was found to be in first class order. The new copper firebox fitted in 1961 was still almost shiny on the inside. There was concern was why someone had spent so much money on the new firebox, only to lay the loco on one side. On visiting the workshops at Murau, the visitors were told that the 699 as built simply would not steam. Someone decided that it was the steel firebox that was to blame, so it had been replaced with a copper one. The loco then steamed freely enough, but the advent of the diesels meant that it was not really needed any more. Having seen the loco at at Weiz on 28 August 69, it was bought by the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway (WLLR) for a price of £1,200 and was shipped on 4 December 1969 from Weiz to Llanfair. .

The locomotive is now WLLR number 10, and after a ballot of WLLR members has been named 'Sir Drefaldwyn' - Welsh for Montgomeryshire, the county in which the WLLR operates. The county arms appear on the loco, in the form of a cast plate fixed to the side tanks above the nameplates. It is still in use, but its boiler certificate expired in 2002, and it is unlikely to be back in service until the end of the decade.

Modeller's note : We understand there is a 4mm(00) scale model of the WLLR No 10 "Sir Drefaldwyn". This body only kit fits a Bachman "Consolidation " chassis and comes from Langley Models. Also needed will be a Bachman "Consolidation " chassis.

Austrian Coaches on the WLLR