Heritage Railway Issue 288

WE have good cause to look back over 2021 as a year in which the heritage sector as a whole overcame some of the biggest obstacles in its 70-year history and with very commendable levels of success. When lockdown restrictions were eased and then lifted, our heritage railways were all geared up to welcome back what proved to be a steady influx of passengers, while doing their utmost to maintain social distancing for reassurance. After a year’s enforced absence, autumn produced a hefty crop of terrific galas, and the rich and varied Christmas trains have produced many a sell-out – and largely accomplished through the services of volunteer labour. While Covid-19 restrictions continued to present obstacles, much progress picked up behind the scenes in the field of locomotive and carriage…

THE Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company has launched its biggest-ever recruitment drive for the NewYear – offering paid jobs in all positions across the board, from steam drivers, firemen and guards, to booking clerks - and even skippers for its boats! Unlike other heritage lines, the railway runs its hugely successful operation with only a few volunteers and pays regular dividends to shareholders. Now it is offering successful applicants the chance to live and work in the English Riviera all year round. The company, which evolved into one of Torbay’s biggest attractions since it was bought from BR out of service by Dart Valley Railway Ltd almost half a century ago, operates steam trains on more than 250 days a year, plus its award-winning Train of Lights service…

MORE than 20 years since the new-build project began, BR Standard 3MT No. 82045 has become a 2-6-2T with the fitting of its pony trucks at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway. The project was started in the late 1990s by South Devon Railway fireman John Besley. Due to work commitments, he handed over the reins to SVR footplatemen, driver Tony Massau, and fireman Chris Proudfoot, who moved the project to Bridgnorth. The 82000 class 2-6-2T locomotives were designed by Robert Riddles for light passenger, secondary main line duties, and branch lines. The chassis design was closely based on the LMS Ivatt Class 4, and the boiler is a shortened version of the standard GWR No. 2 type, as fitted to the 5101 2-6-2Ts. A total of 45 3MTs were…

THE overhaul of Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ‘Pug’ 0-4-0ST No. 19 is making steady progress at the East Lancashire Railway, with a view to returning it to steam by Easter. The 1910 Horwich-built locomotive has steamed only once before in preservation, at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in the early 1970s. Its bottom half is now largely complete, along with repairs to the cab, while a new smokebox saddle has been manufactured at the ELR’s Buckley Wells works. A replacement saddle tank has also been ordered as the original is deemed beyond economic repair. Some work remains to be done on the locomotive’s firebox, after which the boiler will be re-tubed using a set of tubes already in stock. The planned livery is LYR lined black with brass cabside…

THE Cholsey & Wallingford and Lynton & Barnstaple railways landed major honours at this year’s National Railway Heritage Awards ceremony. The big event at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, in Threadneedle Street, London, on December 1, held for the first time since 2019 after last year’s ceremony was conducted virtually due to the pandemic. Awards were presented by guest of honour Andrew Haines, the chief executive of Network Rail. The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Community Interest Company won the Hendy & Pendle Trust Volunteers Award for the restoration of Chelfham station. The Cholsey & Wallingford Railway’s installation of the disused Brunelera overall platform canopy from Maidenhead at Wallingford station was given a special award named in honour of late NRHA chairman Theo Steel, who passed away on October 20. As reported…

NORTH Bay Railway Engineering Services has delivered Britain’s newest steam locomotive. Darlington-based NBRES delivered Bagnall Sipat 0-4-0ST Big Dave to the Lathalmond Railway Museum, near Dunfermline, on November 30, when it ran along the venue’s two-thirds-of-a-mile long 2ft gauge track. Big Dave is the third Sipat to be completed by NBRES, the first being Georgina, which was built for the 20in gauge North Bay Railway in Scarborough and launched on March 23, 2016, as reported in issue 214. It was followed up by 2ft gauge Otter, supplied to the Groudle Glen Railway, with a fourth currently being built for a private buyer and as yet unnamed. Similar in design to Otter, Big Dave is fitted with a conventional cab to cope with the Scottish climatic conditions. The class was a…