A couple of preserved locos

Preserved Locomotives

Whilst browsing through some old magazines trying to find information about the Webb coal tank which was kept at Hednesford for a couple of years, I noticed a couple of locos which were recently on view at the Severn valley Railway Gala at the beginning of March, and thought that I’d post what I’d found just to show that preservation works.  There are also another few photos to show that restoration doesn’t always have to be done in the cold and rain!

From the ‘Forum’ Magazine of the Railway Preservation Societies

Autumn 1963, Vol. 2  No.7

Photo: David Jackson

‘The Great Marquess’ arrives at Leeds.

Restored to its original LNER green livery, ‘The Great Marquess’ – 2-6-0 class K4 No.3442 – has left Glasgow and arrived at Neville Hill, Leeds.  Accompanying the engine on its journey was its owner, Lord Garnock, who is president of the Middleton Railway Trust.

The engine, which was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley for the West Highland line, underwent restoration at Cowlairs Works.  As no transfers were available, the painters had done all the lettering and numerals by hand – even down to  the number on the tender buffer beam (a feature peculiar to Cowlairs).

It was small wonder, then, that the paintshop foreman whistled ‘Will ye no’ come back again?’ as the ‘Marquess’ resplendent in its true colours, left for the south with a train of 30 fitted vans.

Attached to the locomotive as it headed fro the suburban line (to avoid Waverly) were a wagon and brake.  The wagon remained next to the engine throughout the long journey, as it contained the precious spare parts for a class otherwise extinct.

Photo: The LNER Encyclopedia

From the ‘Forum’ Magazine of the Railway Preservation Societies

Special Exhibition Number, Spring 1964,  Vol. 3 No.1

‘The Great Marquess’ on tour

‘The Great Marquess’, the restored LNER K4 class engine belonging to Lord Garnock, president of the Middleton Railway Trust, will be used on a special excursion train organised by Ian Allen next June.  The train will leave King’s Cross behind the ‘Flying Scotsman’ another famous LNER engine owned by Colonel A. Pegler – and will run to Leeds as an 8-coach express.

On arrival at Central Station, the West Riding portion of the excursion will be attached to the rear of the train by ‘The Great Marquess’, which will then haul the 11 coach train up the steep gradient out of the station and will take it to Darlington.

The trip will coincide with the closure of Darlington locomotive works, and it is therefore fitting that ‘The Great Marquess’, which was built at Darlington 26 years ago, should take the party of enthusiasts on their farewell visit to the works.

Midland Compound No.1000Photo: David Jackson – inside the engine house at Highley.

Preservation

No. 1000 was set aside for preservation after withdrawal and restored in 1959 close to its 1914 condition, painted in Midland maroon livery, running enthusiasts’ specials until placed in the temporary Clapham Transport museum. Though steamed since preservation, it is currently a static exhibit in the Severn Valley Railway’s Engine House, having been lent by the National Railway Museum in York.Cover Girl of the ‘Forum’ Magazine, Winter 1964/1965

The following photographs were sent to me by an ex-Hednesfordian now living in Canada.  It just goes to show that if you get fed up restoring locos at Chasewater, there are alternatives!!  My thanks to Tony Lockley.

Photos of the sugar cane train on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. The letters on the tender stand for Lahaina Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad. It is a working engine as you can see, the track is less than five miles long with a station at each end and runs parallel with the highway. My friend and I ( he was born in Carnforth and his father was an engine driver on the LMS) went into the maintenance area where they were restoring No. 3 Myrtle, the  foreman , who I think was Polish, said it was very time consuming getting replacement parts as they had to be custom made from the original. In its working life the train used to haul the sugar-cane to the Lahania docks from the fields.Loco –  ‘Anaka’‘Anaka’ coming into the station.

‘Myrtle’ coming along nicely!