Penrhyn reviews collection
Locomotives may be re-homed as part of National Trust museum’s rolling stock rationalisation.
Some of Britain’s unique and most historic locomotives may be deaccessioned from the National Trust, as the Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum seeks to rationalise its railway collection.
Locomotives such as unique 1885-built 3ft gauge Black Hawthorn 0-4-0ST Kettering Furnaces No. 3 and former Beckton Gas Works 1870-built Neilson 0-4-0WT Works No. 1561 may be moved to new custodians as the museum refocuses its remit on exhibits related to the North Wales slate quarries.
Richard Pennington, Penrhyn’s House & Collections Manager, told Steam Railway: “We are currently looking at all of our collection and the way we display them as part of an exciting project to transform the way our history is presented at Penrhyn Castle. This includes the Railway Museum collection.
“Part of this process is to look at our locomotive collection in terms of relevance to our industrial heritage story, to bring this part of the Penrhyn story to the forefront of the museum. This may involve re-homing some of the engines that are unconnected to the Penrhyn Castle story to other accredited museums, where their story can be better explained and interpreted.”
Nothing has yet been identified as a candidate for re-homing.
“We’re still in the process of evaluating our collection and options for re-homing and re-interpretation and therefore we cannot give any firm detail at this point,” said Mr Pennington.
He added: “Each and every item will be assessed on an individual basis and will be allocated to the most appropriate institution; this would include remaining at Penrhyn Castle. We are not ruling out [giving anything to] narrow gauge railways at this point.
“Our internal processes are continuing, and we expect to move this along during 2020; we don’t currently have a defined date for completion.”
When asked if the locomotives earmarked for re-homing would remain in the ownership of the National Trust, Mr Pennington said: “This will be assessed for each item and the most appropriate method will be used,” but did not rule out the possibility of items being de-accessioned.
Locomotives at Penrhyn with Welsh slate quarry heritage include unique 1848-built 4ft gauge Padarn Railway Horlock 0-4-0 Fire Queen, and former Penrhyn ‘Quarry Hunslet’ 0-4-0STs Works Nos. 283 Charles and 855 Hugh Napier, although the latter is frequently found at the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways.
One locomotive has already left Penrhyn – 3ft gauge De Winton 0-4-0VBT Watkin, which was placed on static display in the WHR’s new Caernarfon terminus in late March (SR492). However, Mr Pennington said: “Watkin was on loan to us; in the end, it was a decision that the owner made to re-locate it to Caernarfon after an enquiry was made to him by the F&WHR.”
Mr Pennington added: “We have many options as to what any space vacated by any engines or rolling stock may be used for, and no decision has been made at present. However, we can confidently say that the core purpose of this exercise is to enable us to better focus on Penrhyn’s significant industrial heritage, which any space will allow us to do in new and exciting ways.”