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The stars of 1975

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A fairytale comes true…

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UK coal use drops to lowest level since Great Fire of 1666

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‘Maggie Rose’ joins August’s Greatest Gathering line-up

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Keeping it in the family – Part Two

Newly overhauled De Winton 0-4-0VBT Chaloner shunts in the yard at Pages Park to collect the carriages for the ‘Leedon Flyer’ during the Leighton Buzzard Railway’s autumn gala on September 28 2024. GRAHAM NUTTALL

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Keeping it in the family – Part One

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From here to eternity

Newly overhauled ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35005 Canadian Pacific, minus its smoke deflectors, steam pipe cladding, nameplates and smokebox numberplate, in steam in Ropley yard on the Mid-Hants Railway on March 1. JEREMY DE SOUZA

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Canadian Pacific returns to steam at Mid-Hants

‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado passes through Skipton en route to Carnforth on March 7. EDDIE BOBROWSKI

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Tornado joins West Coast, but no-show for East Lancs gala

George Stephenson’s Locomotion, as ‘preserved’ in 1857, hauls a homage to the original inaugural train at the Stockton & Darlington Railway centenary celebrations in 1925. GETTY IMAGES

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Stockton & Darlington: Better than the first

Krupp 0 6 0T Tom with a Van Hool bus in the colours of the Vicinal, used up until the 1970s. KEVIN HOGGETT

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Six in steam at Maldegem steam festival

Pendennis Castle and Flying Scotsman run side-by-side down the Avon Yard, near Northam, Western Australia, on the return from a day trip to Northam from Perth on September 24 1989. GARY MERRIN

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Rivals to reunite at Didcot, but still no main line for ‘A3’

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The next train is cancelled

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Non-stop to Yeovil

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A bit more than 200…

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Cockatoo Island: A different breed

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**PART ONE**  
Fifty years ago, BR remarkably allowed steam to run to Shildon under its own power for the big S&D 150 event. HOWARD JOHNSTON witnessed it all, and now tries to rediscover the key exhibits.

Strict health and safety rules were a lower priority in 1975 when BR allowed uncertified steam locos back onto its main lines to attend the ‘Rail 150’ Cavalcade and Exhibition at Shildon during the Bank Holiday week of August 24-31.

Those were the days when inspections were not so rigorous to secure ten-year certificates. Indeed, it has been speculated that a couple of the locomotives that notched up hundreds of miles to get to the show had not even had their boilers lifted after coming out of Barry scrapyard. Having devoted months of logistical planning to get the engines and vintage rolling stock from across the country, including Scotland, BR had such confidence in the owners that it didn’t give much thought to diesel haulage. As with the Rainhill exhibition five years later, it was a treat for linesiders that can never be repeated.

Crowd management was also in its infancy half a century ago, and the organisers must be congratulated because there were no mishaps of any consequence, even though an estimated 250,000 travelled to the North East for the spectacle. Steam had only ended on BR steam seven years previously in August 1968, and few were prepared for the sight of more than 30 polished engines running past them in a two-hour long show. However, whose bright idea was it to set out the tiered seating facing directly into the searing sun, which made photography near-impossible? People on the other side of the track who had not paid admission got the best views.

Eric Treacy, Bishop of Wakefield and one of our most revered steam photographers, was among those overwhelmed by having such close contact with engines he recalled from the 1940s and 1950s. He also admitted his disappointment at a few notable absentees. He mourned the lack of an LMS ‘Duchess/Coronation’ 462, but there were none available (No. 6229 _Duchess of Hamilton_ was fresh out of Butlin’s holiday camp at Minehead and in a shabby state, and No. 6233 _Duchess of Sutherland_ was still at Bressingham). Also missing, he said, were a GWR ‘Castle ‘or ‘King’, because of weight and gauge clearance issues perhaps?

Those with a keen eye for celebrities at the private/press launch would have noticed British film actor Kenneth More, artist and engine owner David Shepherd, Bishop Treacy, ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ creator and author the Rev Wilbert Awdry, and photographer Derek Cross. _Flying Scotsman_ owner Alan Pegler was also there, and part of the Cavalcade commentary team.

There was a universal dislike of BR’s prototype Class 252 High Speed Train, which arrived filthy and was too long to go through local carriage washers. Attempts to clean it by hand made matters worse because the handful of quickly allotted staff could only reach window height. Its appearance as the climax of the three-mile Cavalcade from Shildon to Heighington was met with loud ‘boos’.

At the end as well as the start, there were no crowd dispersal issues as people were routinely shuttled back to Darlington in sixteen 12-car DMUs.

Fifty years on, it is significant that one of the highly burnished Cavalcade engines – SR ‘S15’ No. 841 ‘Greene King’ – no longer exists, having been condemned with twisted frames, and surrendering its boiler to a classmate. The prototype High Speed Train has been also been disbanded, and one of its power cars was broken up in 1990. All the main line diesels that hauled the excursion trains have been scrapped (with two exceptions – Class 47s Nos. 47596 and 47727), and most of the shuttle DMUs likewise. Very few of the BR Mk 1 support coaches that arrived with steam are also still with us.

And 2025? Anyone considering assembling a similar locomotive line-up today would experience great difficulty. Many of the 1975 engines are unfit to run, have changed hands once or several times, and are at new locations. A handful have current main line certificates, but the rest are on static display in museums.

### **Main line, museum, and worse: What’s happened to the exhibits?**

_(Engines listed in order of appearance)_

#### **1975 No. 1** **_Locomotion_** **replica**

**1975:** Beamish  
**2025:** Ruddington  
**Status:** Operational  
A replica of the engine that hauled the first train over the S&DR in September 1825 was constructed at Beamish to deputise for the fragile original, which was clearly unable to be steamed for the Cavalcade. The creation of engineer Mike Satow, it has been widely travelled, including to the United States and Japan. Following recent restoration, Locomotion has been running trials on the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) at Ruddington. Its axles and chimney have been replaced, and firebox and motion repairs carried out. Beamish

#### **Bagnall ‘Austerity’ 060ST NCB No. 2502/7**

**1975:** Seaham  
**2025:** Marley Hill  
**Status:** Awaiting overhaul  
Industry was represented by a Hunslet-design ‘Austerity’ originally built for the Ministry of Supply (Works No. 2779, No. WD75256 at the Longmoor Military Railway), from Vane Tempest Colliery at Seaham, which closed in 1993. It was repainted with striped bufferbeams. The engine is now ‘Gamma’ at the close-by Tanfield Railway, and is stored at Marley Hill shed, painted black as its No. 20.

#### **LMS ‘Black Five’ No. 4767 (44767) ‘George Stephenson’**

**1975:** Thornaby  
**2025:** Carnforth  
**Status:** Under overhaul  
Ian Storey’s unique ‘Black Five’ with Stephenson link motion was named ‘George Stephenson’ at Shildon on August 25 by William Whitelaw MP (grandson of an LNER Chairman, and later Conservative Deputy Prime Minister) to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and it still carries the plates. No. 44767 has visited many preserved lines since then and enjoyed long periods on the main line, including many stints on the Fort William-Mallaig run. Last steamed in 2014, it was sold to the West Coast Railway Company in 2018, and new cylinders and a tender tank are on the repairs list. Thornaby

#### **NER ‘T2’ 080 No. 2238 (63395)**

**1975:** NYMR  
**2025:** NYMR  
**Status:** Under repair  
The unglamorous LNER ‘Q6’ heavy freight engine arrived at Shildon from Grosmont in a trio that also included ‘K1’ No. 2005 and ‘P3’ No. 2392, having recently undergone a mechanical overhaul and large flue tube replacement. The journey included a stop at Thornaby depot for attention to its tender. Withdrawn in 1982, it returned to steam again in 2008. It is currently being fitted with a new right-hand cylinder, after its original item failed in May 2023, and the 0-8-0 is expected to return to service soon. NYMR

#### **NER ‘P3’ 0-6-0 No. 2392 (65894)**

**1975:** NYMR  
**2025:** NYMR  
**Status:** Operational  
The last of a class of 115 sturdy engines that saw out North Eastern steam in September 1967, the ‘J27’ spent many years allocated to York. After an initial overhaul, it was withdrawn immediately after the cavalcade for boiler repairs, and has been on hire to such diverse places as the Llangollen, Bo’ness & Kinneil, and Nene Valley railways. Its most recent overhaul was completed in 2018, outshopped in BR condition as No. 65894 with a new tender body and steam-heating equipment, and was repainted into the LNER condition as No. 2392 in 2023.

#### **LNER ‘K1’ 2-6-0 No. 2005 (62005)**

**1975:** NYMR  
**2025:** Carnforth  
**Status:** Under overhaul  
The restoration of the engine that precariously finished up its BR career as a stationary boiler was completed by NELPG members at Thornaby depot a year before the cavalcade. It was painted in non authentic lined-out LNER Apple green livery, later changed to standard BR lined black. No. 62005 has been a main line stalwart over the ensuing decades and a regular sight on the West Highland line. Last steamed in 2021, it is close to the end of a half-million-pound rebuild that includes major firebox work and new tyres, and should be back in service later this year, returning to its familiar ‘Jacobite’ duties. NYMR

#### **Caledonian Railway ‘439’ 0-4-4T No. 419 (55189)**

**1975:** Falkirk  
**2025:** Bo’ness  
**Status:** Operational  
The popular (and colourful) Scottish McIntosh ‘439’ class suburban passenger tank had already been restored, in 1971, before it was selected for participation at Shildon, and it partnered LNER ‘D49’ No. 246 Morayshire for the exhilarant main line run south. The 0-4-4T has been a roving ambassador for the Scottish Railway Preservation Society over the years, having paid visits to such diverse places as the Churnet, Chinnor & Princes Risborough, Bluebell and Spa Valley railways. Its most recent overhaul was completed in October 2018 and it is currently being repainted into LMS Crimson Lake as No. 15189. Falkirk

#### **LNER ‘D49’ 4-4-0 No. 246 (62712)** _**Morayshire**_

**1975:** Falkirk  
**2025:** Bo’ness  
**Status:** Under overhaul  
The ‘D49s’ were once common in the North East, but _Morayshire_ – the final ‘D49’ in BR service – ended its working life in Scotland, from where it steamed from on August 4 1975 with Caledonian No. 419 and three vintage coaches Eyebrows were raised at _Morayshire_’s distinctive, almost dayglow, shade of LNER green paint. The 440’s original Falkirk base was closed in favour of the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway in 1979, and No. 246 continued running on the main line until 1983. Last steamed in 2015, its overhaul is currently ongoing at Bo’ness.

**1975:** Tyseley  
**2025:** Tyseley  
**Status:** Awaiting overhaul  
As London Transport No. L94, No. 7752 famously hauled the last steam train on the ‘Met’ in June 1971 and was repainted in full GWR unlined green for the 1975 cavalcade. It travelled under its own power from Tyseley, combining with Ivatt ‘2MT’ No. 41241 and a rake of three Keighley & Worth Valley coaches at York. Since then, No. 7752 has run often on the main line and worked on other railways, but bowed out of traffic in late 2021 for overhaul.

#### **GWR ‘Manor’ 460 No. 7808** _**Cookham Manor**_

**1975:** Didcot  
**2025:** Didcot  
**Status:** Static display  
Although the longest preserved ‘Manor’ and the only one of the nine survivors to have been purchased directly from BR, No. 7808 is not on any priority list to return to steam in the foreseeable future, having last been used in 1983. _Cookham Manor_ was in sound mechanical shape for its 500-mile round trip from Didcot to the North East in 1975, arriving in splendid fashion at the head of a rake of five veteran coaches.

#### **GWR ‘Modified Hall’ 460 No. 6960** _**Raveningham Hall**_

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** Margate  
**Status:** Awaiting overhaul  
It only took three years to restore this wartime ‘Hall’ from Barry condition to become a Shildon Cavalcade participant, and a few questions were asked about its overall suitability after it failed twice on its journey north from its then-base at Carnforth. It was a familiar sight on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire, Severn Valley, and West Somerset railways over the intervening years. No. 6960 last steamed in July 2021 and its currently in storage at owner Jeremy Hosking’s One:One Collection in Margate, awaiting its turn in the overhaul queue.

#### **LNER ‘V2’ 262 No. 4771 (60800)** **_Green Arrow_**

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** Danum Gallery, Library & Museum, Doncaster  
**Status:** Static display  
The Gresley ‘V2’ was shunted from pillar to post in the eight years following its initial restoration into LNER Apple green at Doncaster in early 1963. Once intended for display at a museum in Leicester, it was returned to working condition at Norwich shed, and later based at Carnforth for main line use from 1973. It was therefore easy for it to motor over to Shildon with four support coaches. Carnforth Time was called for _Green Arrow_ in 2008 owing to its cracked cylinder monobloc, and in February 2021 it was relocated to the Danum Gallery, Library & Museum at Doncaster. Although the National Railway Museum has not ruled out a return to steam, as yet there are no plans to overhaul No. 4771.

#### **LNER ‘B1’ 460 No. 1306 (61306) ‘Mayflower’**

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** Crewe  
**Status:** Operational  
The expected treat of the arrival at Shildon of ‘Mayflower’ double-heading GWR No. 6960 _Raveningham Hall_ on August 11 1975 failed to materialise because the ‘Hall’ was taken off at York with a hot box. The BR-built ‘B1’ had been transformed with a repaint from BR black to smart LNER lined Apple green with a red nameplate. The ‘B1’ has since had extensive main line use, and changed hands a number of times, notably to Gerald Boden, David Buck and, in 2022, to Jeremy Hosking. It is now part of his Locomotive Services Group and a regular sight at the head of Saphos Trains railtours.

#### **LMS ‘8F’ 280 No. 8233 (48773)**

**1975:** Severn Valley Railway  
**2025:** Severn Valley Railway  
**Status:** Static display  
The remarkable Second World War and BR end of steam veteran already had seven years of preservation service under its belt by the time of the 1975 cavalcade, having arrived at the Severn Valley Railway direct from BR in full working order, and it hauled trains during its official reopening in May 1970. After some necessary mechanical attention, the Stanier 280 appeared at Shildon in the guise of No. 8233, its original LMS number, and worked from the SVR to Shildon with Ivatt ‘4MT’ No. 43106 and three coaches in tow. No. 48773 has since enjoyed several stints in traffic, as well as main line use from the late 1980s until 2000, but has been silent since its boiler ticket expired in January 2008. It is currently on show at The Engine House at Highley; an estimated £1 million is needed to revive it. Severn Valley Railway

#### **War Department ‘Austerity’ 2 10 0 No. 600** _**Gordon**_

**1975:** Severn Valley Railway  
**2025:** Severn Valley Railway  
**Status:** Static display  
A somewhat colourful entry owing to its blue and red livery, applied while in service at the Longmoor Military Railway, _Gordon_ (named after General Gordon of Khartoum) was intended for war service overseas, but never made it beyond Southampton. Initially restored at the SVR in 1972, it did, however, get to Shildon, under its own power, and again to Rainhill in 1980. The Riddles 2 10 0 has had two ‘tickets’ in preservation, from 1972 until 1984, and 1990 until 1999, and is another static exhibit at the SVR’s Highley Engine House. An eventual return to steam is currently a long-term prospect.

#### **Metropolitan Railway Bo Bo No. 12** _**Sarah Siddons**_

**1975:** Ruislip  
**2025:** Ruislip  
**Status:** Operational  
Mentioned for completeness is the Metropolitan Railway electric locomotive _Sarah Siddons_, which needed a tow from London to Shildon behind Class 25 diesel No. 25263, It came with a 1973 Piccadilly Line three-car unit, consisting of vehicles Nos. 165, 365 and 565, and the engine was towed in the cavalcade by ‘WD’ No. 600 _Gordon_. It is still a main line engine (it was repainted at Eastleigh last year) but has not run since 2019.

#### **LNER ‘A4’ 4 6 2 No. 4498 (60007)** _**Sir Nigel Gresley**_

**1975:** Philadelphia  
**2025:** Crewe  
**Status:** Operational  
The ever-present 100th Gresley ‘Streak’ was in fine fettle for its participation in the 1975 cavalcade (in LNER Garter blue livery), having only recently returned to main line action following the lifting of BR’s infamous steam ban in 1971. Bowing out for overhaul the month after the cavalcade, _Sir Nigel Gresley_ has been an almost omnipresent sight on the main line and heritage railways in the years since, and emerged from its most recent overhaul in March 2022. However, it hasn’t appeared in LNER Garter Blue since the mid-1990s, having carried lined BR blue almost exclusively ever since, aside from a brief stint in LNER wartime black,

#### **GNR Stirling ‘Single’ 422 No. 1**

**1975:** NRM, York  
**2025:** NRM, York  
**Status:** Static display  
The iconic GNR single wheeler was not in steam at the cavalcade, but hauled by No. 4498 _Sir Nigel Gresley_. There had been a minor scare when it was derailed on the Darlington turntable soon after arrival on August 22, but no damage was done. A favourite of the late John Bellwood, the NRM’s CME, No. 1 was remarkably returned to steam at the Great Central Railway from 1981-82, and at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from 1983-85, before bowing out for good. Now a static exhibit again, one aesthetic change from its appearance at Shildon in 1975 was being paired with an authentic Stirling tender in May 2014, having spent decades paired with a non-authentic Sturrock vehicle.

#### **LNER ‘A3’ 462 No. 4472 (60103)** _**Flying Scotsman**_

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** York  
**Status:** Operational  
Although it was already world-famous, Flying Scotsman had to compete for attention at Shildon with so much else to see. The engine had steamed in from Carnforth with LNWR 240 Hardwicke for company. The ‘A3’s’ career since 1975 is well documented and not worth repeating at length here, but its latest overhaul was completed in October 2022 and, after over a year spent on the side lines at both the National Railway Museum in York and Locomotion, Shildon, it has recently returned to full operational condition. However, it is as-yet unknown whether it will play an active role in the ‘Railway 200’ festivities, and it last appeared in single-chimney condition as No. 4472 in March 1993. Carnforth

**1975:** York  
**2025:** Shildon  
**Status:** Static display  
In its early years, the LNER was good at saving historic engines, and express passenger No. 910, the first of a class of 55, was laid aside for the 1925 S&D centenary procession. It had also appeared at the 1875 event. The 240 was present again half a century later for a third time, albeit not in steam but coupled behind _Flying Scotsman_. The engine remains in the National Collection, and after a spell on display back on ‘home territory’ at Kirkby Stephen East on the former Stainmore Route from 2011 until 2024, it is currently receiving cosmetic attention at Locomotion, Shildon.

#### **GNR ‘C2’ 442 No. 990** _**Henry Oakley**_

**1975:** York  
**2025:** York  
**Status:** Static display  
Britain’s first proper ‘Atlantic’, which always keeps the name of the Great Northern Railway general manager in our minds, had the honour of hauling Stirling ‘Single’ No. 1 along the East Coast Main Line to Shildon. No. 990, the first of Henry Ivatt’s 20 ‘Klondikes’ created the Doncaster family likeness that continued beyond his successor Gresley and right to the end of the LNER’s existence. Withdrawn from regular service in 1937, No. 990 was briefly reactivated at BR’s behest for two ‘Plant Centenarian’ railtours marking the 100th anniversary of Doncaster Works in 1953 before returning to static display. Revived for the 1975 cavalcade, it remarkably ran at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway from 1977-78 before bowing out for good. It is currently on display at the NRM in York.

In **Part 2,** we will continue exploring the 1975 locomotives, with details of the static exhibits, and the fate of some of the coaching stock.

#### Rediscovering a hidden steam locomotive thought scrapped decades ago sounds like a work of fiction. But it’s true, and you’ll soon be able to travel behind it for the first time ever.

In March 2016, the _Steam Railway_ office was in quiet disbelief. We often receive emails and phone calls with tip-offs or rumours of surprise discoveries. Sadly, most don’t turn into reality. So, when we were contacted by a gentleman looking to help his neighbour who had a steam locomotive hidden in a barn, we were a little sceptical. It must be a model, or a miniature, surely? How could a full-sized steam locomotive just disappear?

This time though, not only was it completely true, it was even more of a revelation than anyone could have imagined. _Newstead_ was – and is – indeed a full-sized Hunslet 060ST, but it really hadn’t been seen or heard of for about quarter of a century. The enthusiast community assumed it had been scrapped and even the most informed considered its whereabouts a mystery.

The mystery made a lot more sense when it was revealed that, most staggeringly of all, _Newstead_ wasn’t just tucked in the corner of any old barn… it was in a Hertfordshire convent.

The revelation came to light in early 2016 because after decades of solitary reflection, _Newstead_ needed a new home. Around the same time as _Steam Railway_ broke the story, then Nene Valley Railway locomotive crewman Alex Alder also got the tip-off.

“The word everyone was saying was ‘amazing’ – it was a really strange sort of situation. It was like a barn find, covered in a layer of dust and that’s the only information we could get,” says Alex.

“We met this guy who was a caretaker of a Catholic school. We were in the car and suddenly this red-brick old English country mansion appeared. Sure enough, there were nuns inside and we were directed by Mother Superior. We had tea and biscuits, but I thoroughly expected to find a 7¼in model still.

“We all squeezed through a little door and when everyone moved out of the way I was right up against a buffer and sure enough there it was. It was incredible. That moment when we saw the engine, we thought who, how?”

The saviour of _Newstead_ was Malcolm Saul, an enthusiast and collector who also quietly owned vintage road vehicles. Apparently, Mr Saul took some pride in his ability to conceal a 38-ton steam locomotive though.

Mr Saul bought the Hunslet 060ST straight from the National Coal Board in 1973. It had been built as Hunslet Works No. 1589 for Hemsworth Colliery in West Yorkshire during 1929 and worked in the coal industry for its entire career. But he didn’t just acquire _Newstead_, he put a significant amount of effort into his locomotive. He paid for restoration and a full overhaul to working condition to be carried out.

“He cared for the engine really well,” Alex continues. “It was in a shed, dry and undercover. When I saw the engine and met his widow Jane, I felt immense gratitude for his looking after _Newstead_, and I wanted to continue that legacy.” Alex’s desire to find _Newstead_ a new home and get it back into working condition was also driven by another experience, with a completely different locomotive…

“When you say Hunslet everyone thinks ‘Austerity’,” Alex says. “Everyone’s driven one. They’re powerful, rugged and will do the job. They’re a good choice for running. But even though they’re comparable to a ‘57XX’ or a ‘Jinty’, they’re not as free running. They’ve got the power and ruggedness, steaming, water capacity; but not quite as free running.”

During his time on the footplate at the Nene Valley, Alex got to crew _Newstead_’s classmate, _Ring Haw_, when it was visiting from the North Norfolk Railway. It’s not an ‘Austerity’, but a 16in-cylindered Hunslet 060ST that, to the casual observer, looks very much like an ‘Austerity’ with a short tank.

“When I saw _Ring Haw_, I thought ‘same construction, smaller wheels, smaller saddle tank, smaller bunker’. I thought ‘Austerities’ are slow, we’re going to get even slower,’ Alex confesses. “But when I got on the regulator of _Ring Haw_ and left with the first train, I did what I would do on an ‘Austerity’ and suddenly you have to notch back, it was so free running, and it was love at first sight.”

“_Ring Haw_ on a six-coach train accelerates faster than a big loco, but you can hear it work and it’s the best noise. It’s a really fun engine. One of my favourite engines.”

“When I saw _Newstead_, I knew I wasn’t just looking at a small ‘Austerity’; I knew what it was capable of. If I hadn’t had the pleasure of driving _Ring Haw_ I wouldn’t have bought the engine. I’m fortunate I knew what it was.”

Buying _Newstead_ though turned out to be a lot easier than taking it ‘home.’ When it was described as being ‘tucked away’ in a convent, that’s probably a bit of an understatement.

Extracting _Newstead_ from its home of more than 40 years was very challenging. It almost comes as no surprise to learn that it had arrived through a neighbouring farm. Mr Saul brought _Newstead_ by road as far as a concrete farmyard. He had the low-loader reversed right up to the convent boundary then built a tightly curved temporary track to the building that became _Newstead’s_ shed.

But since the arrival, trees had been planted where the access once was. Now they were fully grown, and the nuns of the convent definitely did not want to see them taken down. The only other route was along a very narrow path.

“A Land Rover would just fit down,” Alex says. “But we decided that there was just enough room for a lorry. But the ground was soft – the trailer went in and immediately got bogged down. We spent three hours getting it out empty, then wondered what to do next.”

The team involved in the rehoming demolished a gatepost and managed to drag the trailer up to the locomotive using an excavator and a tractor. But that chewed up the lawn and turned the area into a mud bath. Getting _Newstead_ out the same way was clearly going to be impossible.

Instead, Malcolm Saul’s methods of 43 years earlier provided the inspiration. Using three panels of track, _Newstead_ was slewed around through an almost three-point turn. Then laying a panel at a time in front of the locomotive, it was down the path in a relatively straight line, before another slewing operation got it to the right direction for the low-loader.

“Suddenly it was winched onto the trailer – that was the easiest thing in the world having done all that,” Alex remembers.

The whole operation took two days and was only made possible thanks to the tenacity of the road haulier. Finally, _Newstead_ was ready to depart for the next chapter; a couple of nuns even came out to wave a teary goodbye in their habits.

“I’ve always been amazed by stories of people who bought a locomotive direct from British Railways or the National Coal Board,” says Alex. “And _Newstead_ was as far removed from that as possible!”

The destination for _Newstead_ was, unsurprisingly, the Nene Valley Railway. The plan was to carry out an assessment for a full return to traffic. After the care and attention lavished on _Newstead_ by its previous owner, Alex and his team knew that the locomotive was basically in good shape, but would need some work. The big job that was known about was replacing the firebox crown stays, and obviously a full re-tube would be required too. But it soon became apparent that carrying out a full overhaul was the only way forward.

The Nene Valley was already heavily committed to a number of overhauls and therefore it was reluctantly time for another new home.

“I drafted an email that basically said, ‘Hello, I’ve got an engine, can I come and overhaul it?’,” jokes Alex. “A number of railways were pretty keen. But it felt to me that the Spa Valley Railway was the right option.

“I was invited to a members’ fish and chips train, it felt jolly, like a family community. It felt like the right size of engine, and the railway knew what an overhaul was like.”

So, _Newstead_ was loosely reassembled for the journey from Wansford to Tunbridge Wells. Accompanied by a van of ‘bits’, the journey was thankfully much smoother than the previous move by road.

Safely ensconced in the shed at Tunbridge Wells West, the overhaul of _Newstead_ could begin in earnest. It was also at this point that the focus shifted from simply getting the Hunslet-built machine back in steam, to producing a high-quality overhaul that would result in a locomotive fit for many years of service.

“When you take something apart, you know it works, but you don’t know if it will last for 10, 20 or 30 years,” Alex observes. “So, do you just put it back together, or do it to last?

“When we initially looked at _Newstead_ at the Nene Valley, we measured the cylinder bores – they had only 14 thou’ of wear. We thought we’d done good. But it turned out that a cylinder rebore was about the only thing we didn’t do!”

As an example of the approach, the horn blocks were taken off the chassis and replaced because they were worn. All the axleboxes have had new bronze bearings fitted with white metal wearing surfaces too. The years of good care at the convent paid dividends as everything came apart easily – in direct contrast to many an overhaul.

The biggest challenge though, Alex thinks, was the sheer size of the mountain that needs to be climbed during a locomotive overhaul: “It keeps getting bigger. It felt like each part of the mountain you’ve climbed before. You’ve done machining, you’ve done bits of boiler work, you’ve done paintwork… you can see the pebbles on the beach, but you don’t realise how many pebbles they are until you do an overhaul.”

The support Alex has received from others in the sector has undoubtedly helped with scaling that mountain and counting those pebbles. John Beesley, the owner of sister 16in Hunslet 060ST _Beatrice_, is singled out for specific thanks.

“John Beesley has been really helpful. He’s owned one of these for decades, he’s run it overhauled it and he’s still running it. He’s got a lot of experience,” Alex says.

“One of the lovely things about railway preservation is that in most fields if you ask how someone has done it you get a pretty sharp response ending with ‘off’. In heritage railways, people want to say ‘here’s a good tip’, or ‘have you tried speaking to these guys?’ John has been helpful with patterns castings, and knows a few tricks.”

“I’m thankful for the enormous generosity of all the people who’ve worked on it. There are far too many to mention but I hope everyone can take some pride in those achievements.”

During 2024, _Newstead’s_ coupling rods and eccentric straps were machined, new big end bearings fitted, injectors overhauled and a huge amount of painting was completed. The livery, by the way, is LMS crimson with Naples yellow lining – as carried by _Newstead_ during its colliery career and a sharp contrast to the green it was in while at the convent.

The boiler overhaul was also finished and tested in December 2024. By February 2025, the boiler of _Newstead_ was placed back into the frames. The tank and cab were lowered back on shortly afterwards.

The original nameplates from _Newstead_ also recently turned up. Alex has only been able to find one photo from 1954/55 that shows the original nameplates fitted. Understandably, he thought they’d been scrapped long ago. But after 70 years without nameplates, _Newstead_ can once again proudly carry the name.

With the overhaul rapidly approaching a conclusion, thoughts turned to operation. In the years _Newstead_ has been at the Spa Valley, the line has grown enormously. Passenger numbers have increased significantly and the line now regularly turns out a Bulleid ‘Pacific’ to haul trains – whereas an industrial 060ST was common when _Newstead_ arrived. As opportunities for steaming would clearly be limited, Alex needed to find an alternative home again.

“The Spa Valley have been immensely generous,” says Alex. “They have given the engine dry cover and facilities for over six years. At the end of the day, the railway has grown so much that it feels it can’t make best use of the engine.

“I wrote a list and I thought there were many railways would benefit from the engine. There was a lot of interest. Everywhere from Devon to Yorkshire, someone was interested in it – which felt really nice. But the recurring theme here is ‘blame it on _Ring Haw_!’”

In early March 2025, _Newstead_ moved to the North Norfolk Railway to be with her sister. Alex has high hopes that test runs will happen during April before _Newstead_ enters regular traffic on the North Norfolk

“I’m putting all the energy I can into get it going,” says Alex. “I want to provide an engine that people love to crew and get a lot of pleasure out of driving and firing it. We’ve had a wonderful reception at the North Norfolk. Everyone has been so accommodating – they’ve really helped speed the overhaul up while in Norfolk.”

Within weeks of arrival, the last of the machining work required before _Newstead_ could be considered complete was finished. Work had turned to setting the valve timing before March was over and all was set fair for the first moves under its own steam since the 1990s. If there are no nasty surprises, that’ll be followed by _Newstead_’s first appearance on a public train ever.

Alex is, of course, excited at the prospect of _Ring Haw_ and _Newstead_ double-heading. But he’d also love to see _Newstead_ at other lines, as a roving ambassador for the NNR “so other railways can see what a good engine a 16in Hunslet is!”

If you’re as enthusiastic about 16in Hunslets as Alex, or perhaps even if you’re willing to be converted, then keep an eye on the North Norfolk Railway. When? “I’m an optimist,” smiles Alex. “So, I’m hoping to have it in traffic during April if all goes well.”

MAJOR COAL distributors say there is “no risk” to the availability of coal supplies for the heritage sector in the foreseeable future despite national coal use dropping to its lowest level since 1666.

According to figures published by Carbon Brief – a UK-based website covering the latest developments in climate science, climate policy and energy policy – based on data supplied by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, UK coal use fell to just 2.1 million tonnes in 2024, a 54% drop in demand compared to 2023, when the nation consumed 4.5 million tonnes. This drop in demand has been driven by the closure of Britain’s last coal-fired power station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar, and the closure of the last blast furnace at Tata’s Port Talbot steelworks – both of which occurred on September 30 last year. Carbon Brief said this annual consumption figure was the lowest since 1666, the year of the Great Fire of London. At the time of going to press, the remaining blast furnaces at British Steel’s steelworks at Scunthorpe were also under threat of closure, although the Government was considering nationalising the plant. Furthermore, nationwide coal consumption has dropped by 96% since 2014.

In response to the figures, Heritage Railway Association Chief Executive, Steve Oates, said: “The latest figures for coal use are interesting, but it’s important not to look at them in isolation. The vast majority of the reduction in coal use relates solely to electricity generation. However, anyone with more than a passing interest in the subject will understand that coal has always had a large number of uses besides electricity generation – many of which show no signs of disappearing in the near future.

“To put things into perspective, we estimate that UK heritage steam in all shapes and sizes still uses less than 1.5% of all coal utilised in the UK. Emissions from heritage steam remain absolutely negligible.

“I think we have to note that coal used for electricity generation has always been predominantly of a lower quality than the coal used by steam locomotives too. Looking at the tonnages of coal consumed alone does not take factors like these into account. Overall heritage rail remains a very low-polluting, sustainable sector and we believe that steam locomotives can be completely compatible with the net-zero agenda.

“It has to be said that we do also speak to the major distributors of coal in the UK on a pretty regular basis. We’ve been assured that they see no risk to the commercial availability of coal supplies in the foreseeable future.”

‘PRINCESS ROYAL’ No. 46203 _Princess Margaret Rose_ will leave the West Shed for the first time in 20 years when it appears at The Greatest Gathering on August 1-3.

Last steamed in 1996, the Stanier ‘Pacific’ is the latest steam locomotive confirmed for the event being held at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane works in Derby as part of the wider ‘Railway 200’ festivities. Currently stored pending overhaul at the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust’s West Shed headquarters at Butterley, this will be the first time the 1935-built 462 has left Butterley since it appeared at a Crewe Works open day in September 2005, when it lined up alongside fellow surviving Stanier ‘Pacifics’, classmate No. 6201 _Princess Elizabeth_ and ‘Princes Coronations’ Nos. 6233 _Duchess of Sutherland_ and 46229 _Duchess of Hamilton_.

_Princess Margaret Rose_ – or ‘Maggie Rose’ as it is often affectionately nicknamed – does have a unique link to Derby, having gone to the former Midland Railway works in late 1951 for modifications to its outside cylinders. This was the only time a Stanier ‘Pacific’ ever graced Derby.

Although No. 46203 will be attending The Greatest Gathering, there are still no plans to return ‘Maggie Rose’ to the main line. PRCLT president Brell Ewart MBE DL told _Steam Railway_: “She is in mechanically good order but in order to meet main line standards of today, and also to have a fairly major boiler repair/overhaul, she would need at least half-a-million pounds – money that we do not have, not to mention the manpower to do the work. As such, there are no plans to steam her.

“I suggest there will be many other former main line locomotives like this from now on as indeed John Cameron has done with Nos. 60009 and 3442 and the SVR have done with their main line fleet as was.”

In :a[Part One]{href='https://www.steamrailway.co.uk/blog/features/keeping-it-in-the-family/' }, ALF FISHER – the owner of 1877-built De Winton 0-4-0VBT _Chaloner_ – recalled how he saved the locomotive for preservation and its early years running at the Leighton Buzzard Railway. This time, he picks up the story in the mid-70s when _Chaloner_ was due a heavy overhaul.

The re-awakening came in 1975. Realising that _Chaloner_’s centenary was only two years away, there started a rebuild, but one still with enormous cash limitations on what could and couldn’t be done. She was stripped, the frames cleaned, and all repainted in a smart brown lined livery, but the major development was the welding up of the top tubeplate by a generous local firm, which allowed the pressure to be increased to 125lb/sq. in. This, however, made only a small improvement to her indifferent performance.

Somewhat belatedly, an ashpan was designed and fitted. This had the dubious distinction of lasting no more than half an hour in service as it warped substantially as soon as it became hot and was hastily removed. Was this part of a learning curve for us or a further tantrum by a cantankerous old engine?

In 1977, out of the blue came an invitation from the National Railway Museum to host us in York, where _Chaloner_ rested awhile. Here she was spectacularly posed, firstly alongside _The Agenoria_ of 1829 and, eventually, in front of _Mallard_. Naturally, the steam ‘wags’ described this as the pairing of the world’s fastest and slowest steam locomotives, but such a title for _Chaloner_ is now truly outdated, however apt it may have been then. Many years later, in 2019, she was to appear on the concourse at King’s Cross station, in front of the statue of _Mallard_’s creator, Sir Nigel Gresley. I wondered what he would have thought of this upstart ‘Coffeepot’ at his feet.

A further momentous invitation came in 1986, this time from the Ffestiniog Railway, which invited _Chaloner_ to join in with the line’s 150th anniversary celebrations. This was to totally change her fortunes. At Boston Lodge, she was re-united with _Britomart_, a ‘Quarry Hunslet’ she had previously worked with at Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry and, on April 20, they both worked a rake of slate waggons up the hill from Minffordd yard to Gwyndy bank. Here we released the waggons, giving them a gentle push to roll back to Porthmadog, thus creating the first gravity train in 120 years, starting a practice which has continued and expanded to this day. Remarkably, _Chaloner_ was the very first visiting steam engine to run on the Ffestiniog Railway, setting a precedent for dozens which have followed since.

However, this trip back to Wales emphasised her mechanical and power shortcomings, and I arranged she would return to Porthmadog the following year for some of the major flaws to be remedied. The most obvious start was to make the wheels round rather than oval, so cutting out the intense vibration which had marred every journey. Secondly, the cylinders and slidebars, each being a single casting, were removed and re-bored to perfection; piston and valve rods were machined, while the worn port faces were refurbished. Finally, new piston rings were fitted, and the front end was complete. At last, most of the steam could be used to power the locomotive, instead of half of it swishing past the pistons to escape up the chimney unused.

The first steaming from Boston Lodge Works was a revelation, the response from the regulator being instantaneous and reassuring. With a new crisp exhaust and healthy beat, I whisked her over the Cob to the Harbour station. Nobody could have been more ecstatic than I, until the time came to return. With repeated efforts, she would not budge an inch. To be ignominiously towed back to Boston Lodge by a diesel was not my idea of a triumph. Her cussed temperament had reappeared as it had done regularly since the earliest days of preservation. This time, it was a short-lived crisis. Large nuts at the top of each piston rod had been secured by split pins. Someone had thought to ‘modernise’ them by replacing them with rollpins, one of which had fractured. The moral is, of course, don’t mess about with centenarian locomotives, especially one like this with a chip on her shoulder.

This was not the last visit to Boston Lodge Works, as she returned in 1990 for the fitting of a new boiler by Bennett of Bristol.

In terms of improvements, things never stood still for long in the ensuing years.

In 1992, David had turned his attention to the deteriorating bodywork. The tank was then almost a hundred years old and corroding. It was removed, thoroughly de-rusted, primed and hot-dipped galvanised, a technique which has proved effective and will ensure its continued existence.

The bunker was similarly decayed and was treated as far as possible in place, but was permanently cured by the removal of the rivets and treating the interspace between body and framework in the Covid rebuild of 2021-24.

In 2011, the very ancient worn tyres were replaced by Alan Keef, raising the engine significantly. This had the welcome effect of removing the unfortunate habit of the coupling rods and big ends striking the ground on certain road crossings, causing the whole engine to make a disconcerting leap in response. At the same time, the crank axle – the Achilles heel of all De Winton engines – was found to have cracks developing and, unlike in quarry days, there was no pool of redundant locomotives to rob. The axle was therefore sent to Farndon of Coventry for specialist welding and machining, a firm renowned as heavy crank specialists, and one more worry was over. Later, David found that the valves were of different lengths causing further inefficiencies, another example of borrowing bits from any other locomotive within reach. These were replaced and the blower and blastpipe nozzle improved.

In 2017 18, he tackled a design problem which had niggled him for some time. De Winton’s designer had made a piston head consisting of three loose rings sandwiched between upper and lower discs holding them in place. This arrangement meant that steam could bypass the rings via their expansion joints, contributing to loss of performance – six small gaps can waste a lot of steam. To combat this, he introduced a cast iron carrier with recesses, mounted within the old piston, enabling new narrower piston rings to sit in grooves, thereby cutting out potential steam loss. As befits correct conservation practice, the modification is fully reversible.

##### Despite the name, he was not French, and was born with the name Wilkins, though his ancestors had crossed the Channel in the 11th Century under the name of ‘De Wintona’. By 1848, he was an engineering apprentice at Fawcett, Preston in Liverpool and lived at 33 Mount Street in Liverpool directly opposite the ‘Mechanics Institute’ – later renamed the ‘Liverpool Institute’ and there learned his skills. This was no coincidence but convenience.

##### In 1944, I also became a pupil of the ‘Institute’, by then a grammar school, totally unaware of any connection with De Winton who was then unknown to me. Thus 100 years afterwards, I was unwittingly succeeding the man who became my hero. While Paul MacCartney and George Harrison were also pupils there a little later, I am unashamedly biased in thinking of Jeffreys De Winton as the premier old boy of the ‘Liverpool Institute’.

I am often asked about driving techniques and what sort of a ride she gives, being without springs. Contrary to expectations, on good track, which is now commonplace, the riding is excellent and equal – if not superior – to a sprung engine. In the early days at Leighton Buzzard, this was far from the case and there were times on the decaying track when she would rock precariously on the two wheels which were sitting on the track, the other two being unconnected to any rails and floating in mid-air.

With the steady improvements over the years, driving and firing methods have changed considerably. Because of the inefficiency of the first few years, firing had to be done regularly on the move, which was not in the mind of the designer in 1877. To keep the fire in tolerably decent shape, the fireman had to kneel on the footplate while travelling and feed the coal down a chute to the fire with one hand, while hanging on grimly with the other. With feet over the edge this was a recipe for disaster and when one fireman did have his dangling foot hit badly by a passing coupling rod end, a protective plate was fitted, and firing was limited to only while stationary. Concerning driving, the regulator is light and easy to use. While at one time full gear was vital just to have any hope of reaching one’s destination, with subsequent improvements and extra notches being put in the reverser, she will now run sweetly in near to mid-gear for miles on end. In those early days of oval cylinders and leaking valves, the exhaust was a constant muffled roar. Now, with perfect valves and timing, the beat is as clear and precise as a main line locomotive in peak condition.

A constant form of amusement when hosting drivers from other railways was their absolute horror at seeing the water level disappear out of the bottom of the gauge glass, sometimes for five minutes or more, while we remained unconcerned. It had to be explained that in this vertical boilered locomotive, with her obnoxious habit of throwing hot, dirty water over anyone in reach, the water level must be kept low. Thus, when at times the water may become invisible, this is not a time to panic over an impending catastrophe. We have to reassure visiting drivers that in strange creatures such as _Chaloner_ there is some 18 inches between the bottom of the gauge glass and the firebox crown, so that danger is minimal. They also find it difficult to comprehend that no such thing as a fusible plug in the firebox has ever been thought necessary and remains so to this day.

An interesting quirk of the regulator when acquired was that its inner barrel had somehow been fitted the wrong way round. Driving was not impaired one iota, but the ‘alteration’ fell short of best practice, for it became clear that the whistle could operate just fine when the locomotive was stationary, but not when the regulator was open! There appears to be no record of the number of quarrymen lost through this slight error.

The outings to Porthmadog were followed by a flurry of invitations to other railways. With 27 railways having played host to _Chaloner_, it is hard to choose highlights other than the unforgettable trips along the complete Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways in 2011 and 2019 – inconceivable achievements for an antique quarry shunter. Fortunately for the crews, both trips were achieved in splendid weather. The first, in July 2011, followed the launch of the book _De Winton of Caernarfon_ at the National Slate Museum at Llanberis, _Chaloner_ being displayed there, then in the town square of Caernarfon and ultimately in the former De Winton erecting shop on the quay. Flagged off by the mayor of Caernarfon, we set off with just a bogie wagon and a handful of volunteers. It wasn’t going to be too demanding and there was ample water along the route which habitually serviced thirsty Garratts. At the time, we felt it was the greatest reward possible for 50 years of gradual improvement, and while David showed his regulator skills for most of the way, I couldn’t resist taking over for the final mile of the climb from Rhydd-Ddu to the summit in the shadow of Snowdon with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

While running 25 miles from Caernarfon to Porthmadog was not to be sniffed at, her ability to run fast – extremely fast – was a complete revelation. The Welsh Highland Railway had kindly provided an escort locomotive to follow in case of trouble. When we did occasionally stop, and the diesel, _Upnor Castle_, eventually came into view, her driver was emphatic that there was no way he could possibly keep up with us. On the level of the Glaslyn Estuary, _Chaloner_ was clocked at a steady 22mph, though knowledgeable Ffestiniog passengers with us deemed it to be 25. In 2019, the complete trip was repeated but an escort was unnecessary, thus avoiding potential embarrassment to a diesel driver.

Speed was never the pre-requisite for a quarry shunter but there are nevertheless a couple of memories of working hard which are impossible to ignore. Galloping up the short grade at Groudle Glen in the Isle of Man in 1995 was unforgettable to all who saw her, while in 2018 on a member’s special on her home turf of Leighton Buzzard, her astonishing climb of the 1 in 24 of Marley’s Bank at 18mph with two full coaches and a brake van, nine tons in tow, recalled her dismal efforts 50 years earlier when struggling to lift herself alone up the very same bank.

Visits to other railways have usually been more sedate. In addition to performing at most 2ft gauge lines in Britain, she has ventured cross-Channel to appear at the Frankfurt Feldbahn Museum, Maldegem in Belgium and, in 2009, to the Froissy-Cappy-Dompierre line in Picardy. If the Welsh Highland trip had first shown her speed capability, the visit to Froissy had already revealed her haulage performance to be just as dramatic. Running on the level part of the line adjacent to the Somme Canal, the load started at 11 tons with two heavy French First World War well wagons and a bogie tanker. Someone then decided to hitch on a German ‘Feldbahn’ 0-6-0 tank for the next trip while someone – i.e. me – coaxed the French driver into keeping the regulator closed. Finally, the Barclay 0-6-0T _Doll_, also visiting from Leighton Buzzard joined the train, again as a dead weight. With 32 tons in tow, _Chaloner_ had plenty of steam to spare after a rapid one-mile run, confirming the reputed feat of _Rhymney_ – a fellow De Winton at Pen-yr-Orsedd quarry – of being capable of starting and hauling 40 tons on the level.

It might be thought that with all the improvements done over the years, that there would nothing left to remedy, but not so. The most recent rebuild was started in 2019 and was due to be completed in three years, but that was before anyone had heard of Covid and the catastrophic events which came with it. David was committed that everything be done to the highest standards, not only mechanically, but to protect all the original material from future corrosion and, in his own words, so that he would not need to do anything further in his own lifetime.

All body parts, boiler and fittings were removed from the frames which were then shot-blasted and treated against rust. Having earlier spent decades of my life laboriously filling in a multitude of rusty pits to achieve a high gloss paint finish, to see them all reappear was personally a hard pill to swallow, though justified. The top of the water tank had suffered from corrosion between the plates, thinning them and forcing them apart. The only way to correct this and prevent it recurring, was to drill out the rivets, remove the top plate completely, de-rust and treat all surfaces, then f latten and refit it with round headed bolts in lieu of rivets. The same treatment was needed for rusting areas around the lower rim of the bunker. Thus, her De Winton tank and bunker of unknown 19th Century origins began life anew.

In the case of the boiler, there was no such solution, and replacement was inevitable. The new one, the fourth in 148 years, was manufactured by Mendip Steam Restoration of Bridgwater in Somerset and fitted there.

The ancient crank axle was again found to have new cracks which had to be welded up and machined once again, this time at Statfold Barn. While there, a wheel centre was also found fractured and needed replacing. Similar disappointments followed in quick succession. After a long wait for the return of the wheels and axles, two days before they were due to be sent back, a serious crack was found in one of the fly cranks and, due to Covid, another three months went by until a replacement could be made. The cladding which had been roughly overlapped since purchase was now fitted correctly to jointing strips. All very commendable, but in doing so this caused an increase in the overall diameter which then fouled the eccentrics and provided a few more hours work to correct. Improvements were also made to the valves and eccentrics and adjustments were made to enable more efficient passage of steam through the exhaust and blast pipe.

Another challenge in this rebuild was to research and as far as possible to find the correct colour scheme – all previous liveries having been products of my own imagination. This time it was to be as accurate as we could manage. An incredible piece of good fortune arose while the engine was on display in the De Winton works in Caernarfon in 2011. “Would this be of interest?” enquired our visitor, Brian Hurst. Stunned, we found ourselves looking at an original sepia works photograph of _Chaloner_ when new in 1877. He had acquired it in a sale, and we will always be grateful to him for bringing it to our attention and allowing me to copy it. To have _any_ works photograph of that date was unusual, but for it to be _Chaloner_ herself from among 70-odd other locomotives by De Winton was incredible.

It was not hard to see the reason, which was to display a totally new feature – a cab, almost certainly the first quarry engine to receive such a luxury and the only one to ever appear on a De Winton locomotive. This accounts for her being described as a ‘hooded locomotive’ when sold second-hand in 1888 to the quarry ‘next door’. The cab was immediately removed and presumably scrapped by the new purchaser, Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry, to enable it to navigate tunnels, while the chimney had to be cut down for the same reason. The photograph, although showing the engine in workshop grey, does indicate the contour of the original lining, which differs from the standard design adopted later.

So, it was now possible to arrive at a realistic plan for the new livery. It also allowed David to make drawings of the cab from which we were able to make a replica, which was fitted some years ago and is ‘worn’ from time to time. It is impossible to guarantee the accuracy of the basic colour, but we have done our utmost from the available evidence – small fragments obtained from other locomotives of the same period – which have inevitably been subject to weathering and age.

It was now time for me to come back into the frame as the long-time locomotive painter, and in 2021 the dining room was again commandeered as a paint shop, where for several months the table was devoid of food, being replaced by several large pieces of cladding in turn, each needing a minimum of six coats of paint and varnish. Covid did have the advantage of giving plenty of time to spare. At the same time, the bunker was shoe horned into the side of the house and painted and lined there, and all woodwork preserved and treated in the garden shed – where else?

The green is unusual for narrow gauge, though it appears to have been used by some main line railways of the time. But colour was not all that mattered for De Winton. Most vertical boilered engines of the mid-to-late 19th Century – for instance by Chaplin, and Head, Wrightson – were extremely functional visually with no consideration of their appearance. De Winton, possibly through his aristocratic upbringing (see panel) had an eye for design and his ‘new’ design of 1877, of which _Chaloner_ was the first, was way in advance of her contemporaries, being a very tidy machine with a wealth of polished steel set off against the new stylish colour.

It is improbable that anyone is still around who saw these engines running around the slate quarries, but from photographs we know that in their later years they were unkempt and scruffy, and far removed from their original smart appearance. Fortunately, a few photos have survived of the 3ft gauge locomotives supplied to the granite quarries at Penmaenmawr, and these show what splendidly attractive machines they were in their prime, with their smart lining, gleaming polished steel reversing arms, reach rods, coupling rods and regulator and brake handles. To return these items to their original appearance on _Chaloner_, they have now been brushed satin-plated, and the resulting ensemble is stunning. If watching from above, I am certain Jeffreys De Winton must surely be well pleased.

So, at 64 years, it has been a long haul, but extraordinarily satisfying, despite dominating family life for many years. Who was in charge – man or machine? Now _Chaloner_ is running as never before, and David and his small team of helpers can be proud of their efforts. The latest improvements, particularly to the blast pipe and valves, seem to be working well and she will now be in as good shape, if not better, than when first built. This year will hopefully prove this, for she is destined to appear for much of the summer at Porthmadog, including the ‘Railway 200’ Platinum Jubilee Weekend on June 19-22. And, fingers crossed, she may even be allowed to venture out on to the Welsh Highland Railway to stretch her ancient limbs once more.

**PART ONE**  
While 1877-built De Winton 0 4 0VBT _Chaloner_ may not have won the _Steam Railway_ magazine readers’ award, it remains a hugely historic and interesting locomotive. And, it has been owned by the same family since 1960. Its saviour and owner ALF FISHER tells its remarkable story.

I had come up from Euston to Liverpool on a Friday night behind a ‘Lizzie’ with 16 bogies in tow. It was not a sparkling performance with a lame ‘Patriot’ on the Manchester relief ten minutes ahead of us, and arrival was 50 minutes late – not unusual but still unwelcome. My friend John Ward had said we were to have a day out in North Wales as he had something to show me. What he meant was that he had discovered the narrow gauge on our doorstep, or nearly.

We were approaching Mold when I was told to stop the Morris Minor, borrowed for the day from my father. We scrambled up a bank to find a little shed. Knowing John, I was not surprised to find a trio of woebegone engines in residence: two Bagnalls and a Kerr, Stuart, or vice versa. I had seen the narrow gauge a few years earlier on a solo visit to mooch around the abandoned Boston Lodge works at Porthmadog, thinking how wonderful and impossible it would be if someone could save that particular railway. Seeing these very small engines, it occurred to me that the house I had just bought had a space at the side where one of these could comfortably fit and be admired. However, I did nothing about it until John told me a few months later that they had disappeared. A quick letter to the owner, the Castle Firebrick Company, brought a quick reply telling me how disappointed they were as they had wanted to give them away to someone who would appreciate them.

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