IoWSR PLANS A 1966-STYLE SEND-OFF FOR CALBOURNE
One original Isle of Wight end-of-steam headboard found – but what happened to the other?
An end-of-steam-style farewell is planned for ‘O2’ Calbourne at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in September – with at least one original headboard from 1966.
The ‘Four Island Classes’ gala on September 28/29 is expected to be the last outing for the veteran LSWR 0-4-4T in BR lined black livery before it is withdrawn for overhaul, with the aim of returning it to steam in SR Malachite green in 2021 for the IoWSR’s 50th anniversary.
Enthusiast Derek Spicer has agreed to loan the headboard that he and Stuart Egbeare produced for the final day of steam on the island, December 31 1966. Reading ‘1889-1966 LSWR, 1864 – IofWR, Last Day of Steam’, it was carried on that day by the oldest surviving ‘O2’, No. W14 Fishbourne.
Research has revealed that
Fishbourne’s other headboard, reading ‘Farewell to IOW Steam’, appears to have ended up in the hands of the engine’s last driver, the late Peter Harbour. However, enquiries by the IoWSR as to whether the headboard still exists have drawn a blank; if anyone can help, please contact Steam Railway.
The ‘Four Island Classes’ event will feature an example of every steam locomotive class currently in service on the IoWSR; in steam alongside Calbourne will be LBSCR ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T No. W11, one of the two Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2Ts, No. 41298 or No. 41313, and Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST No. 198 Royal Engineer.
Calbourne’s boiler certificate expires in mid-December but, said IoWSR rolling stock manager Andrew Summers: “We plan to start work on ‘24’ almost immediately in October to achieve the anniversary year; this would only change if we had major failures with at least two of our larger engines.”
●● For more on Calbourne, see ‘Living With’, pages 42-51.