Welcome to the website dedicated to Peckett No.1631 Marcia – one of the UK’s smallest standard gauge steam engines in operation.
Built in 1923, the engine spent 40 years in industrial use across the UK before entering preservation on the Kent & East Sussex Railway.
The engine has now spent over six decades in preservation all of which have been spent on the K&ESR.
From 1965 until his passing in 2023, the locomotive was owned and restored by Richard ‘Dick’ Beckett. Marcia’s ongoing operation and preservation is dedicated to Dick, without whom we would certainly not have the locomotive we know today.
In 2024 Andy Hardy took on the locomotive with assistance from Jason Shron and Rapido Trains and agreed with the K&ESR that the locomotive can continue to be based at Rolvenden for use by the K&ESR, whilst also being available to visit other heritage railways. It is hoped that the engine can be used to develop the educational and community aims on the K&ESR.
To enquire about hiring Marcia please click HERE.
If you have any photos or information on Marcia from any point in her history we would be delighted to hear from you via our contact page.
With special thanks to Alan Crotty, Phil Edwards, Brian Janes and the Industrial Locomotive Society for their help with photographs and information used on these pages.
