ELR ‘THOMAS’ CERTIFIED FOR MAIN LINE – IN DENMARK

Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T Gothenburg, the East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’, is certified for main line operation – in Denmark.

The former Manchester Ship Canal No. 32 (Hudswell Clarke Works No. 680) received the certification as part of its recent visit to the ‘Thomas’ event at the Danish National Railway Museum in Odense. It follows in the footsteps of two previous British ‘Thomases’, Hunslet 0-6-0ST ‘Jessie’ and the Mid-Hants Railway’s converted ‘Austerity’, Works No. 3781.

Matt Hainsworth, the ELR’s Steam Locomotive Engineering Manager, explained: “Their running line is only short, so on special events they use a section of track owned by their equivalent of Network Rail, which once led to a docks.

“Main line certification over there is very easy – any locomotive running under the wires must have a warning sign, although we never actually went under the wires.

“They checked that the wheels could conduct a current for track circuits, and the tyre profile had to be assessed. There were raised check rails, and with 32 having a flangeless centre driving wheelset there were concerns over the back-to-back measurements, but it caused no problem. They run basically on grandfather rights.

“The engine has to be inspected by the Danish boiler insurance company every 12 months, and it will go back for the 2020 event.” Hauling a ten-carriage train (with banking assistance from Class 37 diesel No. 37109), Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T Gothenburg blasts away from Burrs Country Park Halt on May 25. The engine was shouldering mid-week services while ‘West Country’ No. 34092 City of Wells and ‘4MT’ 2-6-4Ts Nos. 80080 and 80097 were stopped for attention prior to the main summer season.