Fred Dibnah’s son buys Kerr, Stuart
Jack Dibnah hopes to have unique 0-4-0 saddle tank in action again at Foxfield by Christmas.
Jack Dibnah, son of celebrity steeplejack and steam aficionado Fred, has acquired Kerr, Stuart ‘Witch’ class 0-4-0ST Works No. 4388, based at the Foxfield Railway.
He took ownership of the 1926-built locomotive in late June following a chance conversation with a friend.
The only ‘Witch’ class locomotive built, it last steamed in 1999 and has spent most of its time since in open storage at Caverswall Road on the Staffordshire line.
But Mr Dibnah, who has boiler work experience, is hoping to have the diminutive machine back in steam swiftly. Although there is what he describes as “a bit” of work to do, he said: “I’d like to have it in steam before Christmas.”
To make the speedy return to action possible, he is seeking a pair of Gresham and Craven No. 6 backhead injectors. Contact can be made via the Foxfield Railway.
The overhaul has already begun, including the removal of the regulator to allow boiler work to get under way. The 12in-cylindered locomotive is expected to remain part of the Foxfield fleet once it returns to action.
It is a particularly unusual, but important part of the industrial line’s collection. Built for the City of Stoke-on-Trent Gas Department, it shares many features with narrow gauge engines built by Kerr, Stuart, including a high-pitched boiler and marine style round section coupling and connecting rods.
In an odd twist of fate, in the early 1950s the locomotive found itself working where it had been built a quarter of a century earlier. After being displaced by a pair of diesels, the 16-ton locomotive was bought by Brookfield Foundry, who had acquired the California Works in Stoke-on-Trent formerly used by Kerr, Stuart.
Although it worked at Brookfield for around a decade, the locomotive was stored when rail traffic at the works ceased during the 1960s. Amazingly, Works No. 4388 (together with Bagnall 0-6-0PT Works No. 2613 of 1940, now at Mangapps) remained stored indoors at the foundry until 1982.
Entering preservation, it was acquired by a consortium of Foxfield and Crewe Heritage Centre volunteers. When it was returned to steam, it shared its time between the two sites. The trips to Crewe, together with a season at the Manchester Museum of Science & Industry, are believed to have been the only times the locomotive has ever left the area of Stoke-on-Trent.