This locomotive was built in 1998 by a Mr Tully of Wantage, Oxfordshire, and named Fred. Designed for use on a fairly level railway, it was later moved to another with steeper gradients. Unfortunately, Fred was too low powered for this and was put up for sale. He was bought by the Gilham family as a surprise gift for Ken's 60th birthday, Ken being a very enthusiastic founder member of the Ashmanhaugh Light Railway.Now resident on a new railway and having a new owner, Fred became The Sergeant, partly because it was dwarfed by the ALR’s The General and partly because Ken was a Sergeant in the St John Ambulance. (he has moved onwards & upwards since and is now a Divisional Officer !)
To complete the package and extend The Sergeant’s range, a driving trolley was designed and built at the ALR in which an additional, wired in parallel battery is carried. This trolley entered service on the 30 June 2007.
