NEW GROUP AIMS TO TAKE ON FORGOTTEN LLANGOLLEN ‘28XX’
A new limited company has been formed to purchase and restore ex-Barry ‘28XX’ No. 2859, currently lying unrestored at the Llangollen Railway. The 2859 Locomotive Group aims to raise £40,000 by the end of August 2018, to buy the Churchward 2-8-0 from its current owners, the Llangollen Railway Great Western Locomotive Group. The latter organisation saved the engine from Dai Woodham’s scrapyard in 1987, but is now seeking to sell it in order to raise funds for the completion of its other ex-Barry project, ‘4575’ 2-6-2T No. 5532 (see main text). Up to £750,000 will be needed to restore No. 2859, with a target completion date of 2029 - which would mark the 65th anniversary of its withdrawal from Southall shed in December 1964, although it is reported that it was briefly reinstated during January 1965. Shane Barry - one of three preservationists who have set up the new initiative - says that this figure is an upper estimate based on the last engineering report of the locomotive’s condition, and a further survey will be undertaken after purchase. It has only received cosmetic attention since its arrival in North Wales. A variety of incentivised membership options, with standing orders from £5 to £28.59 per month, can be found at www.railway-preservation. org.uk The group has already identified a “preferred preserved line” at which to base the locomotive, and which has offered to assist with registering for Gift Aid. Should the purchase price not be raised, or if another buyer comes forward for No. 2859 in the meantime, donors will be given the options of having their money returned, passed to the new owners of the ‘28XX’, or put towards another locomotive. In 1964, No. 2859 made history as the last locomotive to be overhauled at Wolverhampton’s Stafford Road works, being outshopped on February 14 that year. Built in May 1918, it worked from a wide variety of sheds including Old Oak Common, Newport Ebbw Junction, Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol St Philip’s Marsh in its 46-year career, clocking up a total mileage of 1,345, 561. Its current owners first placed it on the market to raise money for the ‘Small Prairie’ 12 years ago (SR313) - but so far there have been no takers.