Privately owned Baldwin built 4-6-0 T pannier tank steam locomotive # 608 on the Welsh Highland Railway in Beddgelert during a photo charter. This Class 10-12-D was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works (USA) for the British War Department Light Railways for service in France during World War I in 1916/17. When the Great War broke out in August 1914 the French lost most of their locomotive building capacity in the Northern France to German occupied area. Therefore, the French Army demanded fast replacement of the locomotive building capacity for their useful 2′C n2t type which had proved to be a reliable locomotive type for the lightly laid military railways. Three steam locomotive type drawings were sent to Baldwin Works (finance guaranteed by the French Government) for production of C n2t, 2′C n2t, and light Mallet B′B n4v for 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge lines. With the usual American liberty, Baldwin Drawing Office produced their "version Americaine" of these locomotive types. The first C n2t (based to Decauville design) came out in November 1914 and the first batch of 2′C n2t in January 1915. Only two more batches were built for the French. The British War Office decided to adopt the type as its principal military steam locomotive, and Baldwin started production in 1916, building 495 locomotives between October 1916 and April 1917. All were delivered except for nine which were lost at sea. After WW I many of this locomotives were exported to India. Four Baldwin Class 10-12-D locomotives have been preserved in the UK, all of which had been imported from India: # 608 was repatriated along with 44657 in 2013, currently visiting the Welsh Highland Railway. On this day the locomotive pulled the first official train after rebuilding. Another locomotive of the same class, the # 794 is undergoing contract restoration at the Vale of Rheidol Railway workshop in Aberystwyth and will run as ("replica") # 590 for the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. The original # 590 of the Welsh Highland Railway, which ran in the 1920'/1930', was scrapped in 1942.
