The former treasure of the Hayling Light Railway in Hampshire, Dave Scales, who sadly passed away February 2022, has been commemorated with the railway’s latest engine being named Dave Scales after him.

For most of his working life Dave worked for the Police, but after retirement he moved to the seaside and in 2014 he fulfilled a boyhood dream of working on a railway joining the Hayling Light Railway. He quickly progressed to become a driver and spent many happy years hauling passengers along the line.

Dave later became the railway’s treasurer and was a driving force behind the creation of the Hayling Light Railway Trust, a charitable trust that purchased railway in 2019. Sadly, Dave’s health began to deteriorate and he passed away in February last year.

For many years the railway’s main locomotive and one that has been in continuous use since the railway opened has been one called Jack. But Jack now requires a major overhaul, so the railway searched for an additional locomotive to allow Jack to be taken out of service for a a major overhaul.

A suitable candidate was found in 2020 at an old redundant depot in Thorpe Park, and turned out to be a sister locomotive of Jack. This locomotive, called Ivor, was built in 1984 but had been unused for over 10 years in a very poor condition with its body partially stripped.

Ivor was originally built by Alan Keef Engineers at Lea near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire, and during a visit to Thorpe Park by members from the Hayling Light Railway a meeting was held with a director of Alan Keef Engineers.

Discussions followed regarding the design and reconstruction of Ivor, as well as the cost, and after 8 months work Ivor has re-emerged as Dave Scales, the name having been chosen by members of Hayling Light Railway Trust and now “Dave Scales” will continue to make his along the railway for many years to come, bringing joy to many more.