Yeo (locomotive)

Yeo was one of the original three 2-4-0T narrow gauge locomotives built by Manning Wardle & Co. of Leeds in 1898 for the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (L&B). The others were Lyd and Exe.

Yeo was built to a gauge of 1 ft 11 1/2 in (597 mm). Like its sister engines, it was named after a local river. The River Yeo flows near Barnstaple.

The locomotive was a workhorse on the L&B, hauling passenger and goods trains across the challenging terrain of Exmoor. Its design incorporated features to cope with the steep gradients and sharp curves of the line.

Following the closure of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in 1935, Yeo, along with the other locomotives, was sold for scrap. It was broken up in 1935, and no parts of the original locomotive are known to survive.

However, the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Trust has built a replica locomotive, also named Yeo, which entered service in 2018. This new Yeo is based on the original design but incorporates modern engineering and safety features. It operates on the restored section of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway.