Lappa Valley Repaints Duke of Cornwall in Cornwall Air Ambulance Colours

A locomotive that has carried families through the Cornish countryside for three decades has a new look, and the story behind the paint job is worth a moment of your time.

Lappa Valley, the railway and family attraction at St Newlyn East, has repainted its much-loved “Duke of Cornwall” engine in the red and yellow colours of Cornwall Air Ambulance. The makeover is a tribute to one of the charity’s two lifesaving helicopters, which shares the same name.

A nod between two Dukes

The idea took shape after the Lappa Valley team visited the charity’s headquarters earlier this year and spotted the connection. One Duke flies. The other runs on rails. Now they share a livery too.

The team handled the repaint in-house, spending a month and a half transforming the 10¼-inch gauge engine to match its airborne namesake.

Ben Harding, Operations Director at Lappa Valley, said the response from visitors made the decision an easy one.

“It was clear from our recent charity day that our visitors have a deep affection for Cornwall Air Ambulance,” Ben said.

“Duke of Cornwall holds a special place in the hearts of so many, and for it to take on an important role in these famous colours is a fantastic way to keep Cornwall Air Ambulance’s mission at the forefront of people’s minds throughout our 2026 season.”

📷: Cornwall Air Ambulance Helicopter “Duke of Cornwall” is pictured with Lappa Valley’s locomotive of the same name, sporting brand new paint and branding in support of the charity.

A long history on Cornish rails

Duke of Cornwall was built in 1981 by Severn Lamb and spent its early years at the Carlyon Bay Railway, where it carried thousands of families before moving to Lappa Valley in the mid-nineties. It was the original and only engine on the Newlyn Downs Branch Line when that route opened in 1995, and several generations of Cornish families have ridden behind it.

The engine is currently out of regular service while it awaits a full mechanical overhaul. Its new job is a different kind of work, raising awareness for a charity that needs to bring in more than £9 million this year to keep its two helicopters in the air.

Cornwall Air Ambulance covers Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by air and by road, responding to around 1,000 missions a year across a service that runs 365 days a year, 19 hours a day.

Where to see it

The newly painted Duke of Cornwall is on static display at the entrance to East Wheal Rose, the main leisure park, alongside boards explaining the engine’s history and the work of the charity.

Visitors can see it every day from the week commencing 18th May. More information on the partnership and how to plan a visit is at lappavalley.co.uk.

📷: Cornwall Air Ambulance Helicopter “Duke of Cornwall” is pictured with Lappa Valley’s locomotive of the same name, sporting brand new paint and branding in support of the charity.