Tyseley’s Jubilee Kolhapur back on main line for 2022 Commonwealth Games – but your help is needed!
PRESERVATION icon LMSJubilee4- 6- 0 No. 5593 Kolhapur is tomakeamain line comeback aftermorethan a third ofacentury, tohaul guests to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Vintage Trains ( VT) is to fast track the locomotive, which became the second after flagshipWR 4- 6- 0 No. 7029 Clun Castle to join the Tyseley stable in October 1967 and went on to become a popular heritage eramain line performer for many years. The project was announced online during Tyseley’s virtual open day on June 27.
Built in 1934 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow, it was named Kolhapur after a state in western India, two years later. It hauled the train carrying Winston Churchill on his return from talks in Liverpool with President Roosevelt in 1942. Renumbered 45593 by BR on March 23, 1965, it was transferred to Leeds Holbeck shed to work railtours over the Settle to Carlisle line. It was given a yellowcabside warning stripe to indicate that it was barred fromthe electrifiedWest Coast Main Line south of Crewe, where it was out of gauge.
As part of the BR special trains programme for the rundown of steam, Kolhapur received a full unclassified overhaul at CreweWorks in December 1965/ January 1966.
Kolhapur was withdrawn in mid- October 1967 and was bought straight out of service by 7029 Clun Castle Limited, being moved in steam to Tyseley on October 20 that year and under its new owner hauled numerous tours. Restored to LMS maroon livery during the Eighties, following overhaul it returned to the national network at the head of the Duke of Gloucester’s Royal Train from Tyseley to Birmingham Moor Street on June 5, 1985.
It last hauledamain line tour in 1987, and ran over the network for the lasst time in 1988 when it accompanied GWR 4- 6- 0 No. 5080 Defiant fromTyseley to thye Severn Valley Railway. However, it continued to visit heritage lines and in 1994 it temporarily assumed the identity and special livery of scrapped class pioneer No. 5552 Silver Jubilee for the 25th anniversary of the heritage era Great Central Railway, and that summer also visited the East Lancashire Railway in that guise. It also visited the Llangollen raiwlay and Battfield Line and boilet ticket ran out at Barrow Hill in 2000. In recent years, it has appeared as a static exhibit at Tyseley’s open weekends.
AVT statement said: “For decades, there have beenmany requests to reinstate No. 5593 to its rightful place on the main line and in particular, in crimson livery, a nice contrast to GWR green! The project to do just that is an ideal way to reinvigorate the whole Tyseley team following the disruption of Covid- 19.
“Tyseley LocomotiveWorks’ ( TLW) acclaimed engineering team, along with young apprentices is keen to deliver it– with the prospect of VT’s two original locomotives beside each other on the main line. VT is already involved in early discussions with the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 on the provision of steam- hauled train services during the games. This locomotive will be a great ambassador for VT and the steam railway movement at this globally- prestigious event as many of the class were named after Commonwealth countries.”
One possibility is that Kolhapur may haul a special train from Birmingham to Leamington for the games’ bowling tournament.
“Kolhapur will be extremely useful as it is a gauge- friendly/ go- almostanywhere engine and in its daywas a familiar class onmost of the routes that VT now runs with its steam charter programme,” continued the statement. The engine is in very good mechanical condition considering its time out of service. However, it will require a complete strip and rebuild, which TLW is confident can be achieved in time for the Commonwealth Games – funds permitting.”
To raise funds, VThas launched the Kolhapur Club withamonthly subscriptionfromjust £ 5. Alternatively, supporters arebeing invited to sponsor individual components.
Parts available for sponsorship include small boiler tubes at
£ 50; superheater flue tube £ 180; superheater flue tube bottle end £ 160; superheater elements £ 875; firebox crown stay £ 35; firebox steel side stay £ 6.50; firebox copper side stay £ 20; steel side stay nut £ 2.50; crown stay nut £ 3.50.
➜ If youwould like to help return No. 5593 to running order by 2022, visitwww. kolhapur. co. uk for more information.