INDUSTRIAL SHUNTER ROUND-UP

WE reported last month that the unique John Fowler 0-6-0 No. RT1 had been sold and a move was imminent. That move has now taken place and the locomotive has moved from the Foxfield Railway back south to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, where it was based before moving to the Foxfield railway in 2017.

April is quite a good month for anyone looking for some preserved industrial diesel action, with the Chasewater Pits to Power Stations gala on April 4/5 and the Ribble Steam Railway’s diesel gala on April 25/26. The Chasewater event is mixed steam and diesel, but should see the first passenger and freight runs of the RSH/Bagnall Myfanwy in its newwasp strip colours.

This will include hauling the railway’s rake of MGR wagons, which is now expanded to six wagons with the return to traffic of HDA No. 368103 following a full overhaul and fitting of new drawbar gear. The Ribble gala will feature both industrial and ex-BR diesels from the railway’s collection, and usually includes at least one of the Ribble Rail Sentinels used on the Bitumen tank trains.

Sadly the Foxfield Railway has cancelled its diesel gala for 2020, so that is one less industrial diesel event available later in the year.

The East Anglian Railway Museum has acquired Drewry/Vulcan Foundry 0-4-0DM No. WD 72229 from Andrew Briddon. Built in 1945 for the War Department, it had a lengthy career commencing at the Stirling Army depot and not finishing until 2006, its final year spent shunting nuclear flask wagons at Devonport Dockyard. In Andrew’s care since 2006, the locomotive has been based at the EARM since 2014, a move that will now become permanent.