£100K APPEAL LAUNCHED TO FINISH STALLED OVERHAUL OF MORAYSHIRE
A £100,000 appeal has been launched to complete the overhaul of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s LNER ‘D49’ 4-4-0 No. 246 Morayshire.
Last steamed in 2015, the Gresley ‘Shire’ was sent to the Llangollen Railway for a contract overhaul the following year – but was evicted from the North Wales line at two weeks’ notice in February this year, to avoid the Llangollen Railway plc going into administration (SR503).
The dismantled engine was then moved (still as a kit of parts) to a private site in the Midlands for storage.
The society stated: “The SRPS has engaged with the Llangollen Railway to understand its proposals around this dispute and how it can be resolved, but has also taken legal advice in the instance that the matter cannot be resolved by negotiation.”
“With the SRPS’s finances fully committed before the demands of the Covid-19 closure and under even greater strain now, we are launching the ‘Back on the Rails’ appeal to help fund the completion of Morayshire’s overhaul.”
To keep costs down, the SRPS plans to employ a contractor to complete the hydraulic boiler test and reassemble the engine to the ‘rolling chassis’ stage with its smokebox in place, so that it can be transported with the boiler in the frames back to its Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway home. There, the railway’s staff and volunteers will then complete the mechanical, boiler and tender overhauls.
Although the total cost of completing the overhaul is estimated at over £100,000, SRPS director Andrew Fowler explained that some money remains in the society’s restricted fund for the locomotive, to make up the difference.
The timescale of the work, he confirmed, is entirely dependent upon the success of the fundraising: “An independent inspection of the locomotive’s condition has now been conducted, so we are aware of what work remains outstanding. If there was an incredible response to the appeal, we might be able to get a contractor to do more of the work to speed up her return.”
When the ‘D49’ returns to traffic, in LNER green to match the SRPS’ rake of teak coaches, it will be made available for hire to other steam railways as well as operating at Bo’ness.
Cheques payable to ‘SRPS’ can be sent to SRPS Morayshire Appeal, c/o Alastair George, 4 Baberton Mains Avenue, Edinburgh, EH14 3EQ. To donate by bank transfer, email donations@srps.org.uk – donations can also be made online at virginmoneygiving.com/ fund/246Morayshire