History

 

This is one of numerous 'Simplex' locos built by The Motor Rail and Tramcar Co. of Bedford in 1933. It is fitted with a 4-litre twin-cylinder Dorman diesel engine and is hand started with the aid of a lighted touchpaper inserted into the cylinder head swirl chambers. This archaic system is not only reliable, but it avoids the maintenance and expense of a battery, dynamo, starter motor and a heater plug. The transmission is by a Dixon-Abbot gearbox and roller chains.