No.1900, believed to be Britain's smallest standard gauge steam locomotive, was built in 1936 by Peckett & Sons Ltd at their Atlas Works in Bristol. Unlike most of Peckett's products No.1900 was not a standard design but still incorporated many standard parts, some of which came from narrow gauge designs. at a cost of £840 to work at their plant in Flint, North Wales. The plant was split in two by
the LMS Chester to Holyhead railway, and the rail link between the two parts was via a very low tunnel through the mainline embankment. It was for this reason that such a small engine was required.
1900's main duty was the shunting of wagon loads of waste, from the Rayon fibre manufacturing process, out of the plant and onto the sea wall from where it was dumped. There were, however, fears about the safety of this operation. The tunnel was in the dip of two very steep inclines and No.1900 had to work flat out down one side in order to gain sufficient momentum for the climb up the other! Quite rightly the works management were worried that somebody might be injured during these helter skelter proceedings. So eventually, in 1954, No. 1900 was replaced by two engines, one on either side of the tunnel, the wagons being worked by a rope between the two. Made redundant from Flint No.1900 was returned to Atlas works for an overhaul, during which she received a new firebox, before being sent to Courtaulds' Grimsby plant. Here an extension was fitted to the cab and she was set to work on construction trains. When the factory was completed Courtaulds took delivery of a Sentinel locomotive and No.1900 was kept as a spare. Courtaulds last used her in the early 1960s and she lay in store until privately purchased and moved to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton in September 1971. Restoration commenced, including removing the unslightly cab extension, and in 1980 No.1900 returned to service. She was subsequently fitted with vacuum brakes to operate passenger trains. She spent the summer of 1983 on the shores of Windermere, working on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. Here she completed 35 miles on light passenger service. On the way home 1900 visited Steamtown, Carnforth and spent two months in the company of such engines as Flying Scotsman and Lord Nelson. During 1985 No.1900 was invited to visit Chatham Dockyard by the North Downs Steam Railway. She left Quainton in November 1985 for a NDSR event in late November, with another open day planned for the Spring prior to her return home. However, prior to that event NDSR's tenency at Chatham Dockyard expired, so the Spring open day did not occur. No.1900 was steamed again for the NDSR members before she returned to Quainton. After several years of operation No.1900's boiler ticket expired, and she also required further major work. She is now undergoing her second major overhaul in preservation. With her diminutive size, No.1900 is known to many as The Flying Bufferbeam.
