FUTURE UNDECIDED FOR WITHDRAWN DRUMMOND ‘T9’
No agreement yet in place for any potential overhaul of National Collection’s LSWR 4-4-0.
The operational future of Drummond ‘T9’ No. 30120 is uncertain after it failed its annual steam test.
The Swanage Railway-based National Collection 4-4-0 was due to be withdrawn upon the expiry of its boiler certificate at the end of September, but failed a routine boiler inspection in late July with broken firebox stays – curtailing any hope of a final flourish.
“With such a short time before the expiry of the boiler ticket, the Swanage Railway and the National Railway Museum took the decision to withdraw the engine from service, pending discussions about its future,” an NRM spokesman told Steam Railway. York has not yet indicated when or if the 1899-built locomotive will receive a further overhaul and, given its known mechanical problems, it raises the question of whether the ‘Greyhound’ will return to steam.
Last overhauled at the Flour Mill in the Forest of Dean in 2009, No. 30120 returned to LSWR metals in July 2017, when custodianship was transferred to the ‘Purbeck Line’ from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. That was to provide additional motive power after Swanage’s BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80104 and ‘Battle of Britain’
No. 34070 Manston were involved in a low-speed shunting collision, resulting in the latter’s premature withdrawal from traffic (SR470). However, the Nine Elms ‘T9’ did not enter service until November that year, after it too required specialist repairs to its historically fragile cylinder block (SR474).
Since then, the ‘Greyhound’ has become a favourite fixture with crews and enthusiasts alike; rekindling memories of when the engine was based at nearby Dorchester during its BR career.
September 30 – the date of No. 30120’s boiler ticket expiry – also marks the end of Swanage’s two-year loan agreement with the NRM for the locomotive (SR475). There has not yet been any firm statement of intent as to whether it will be renewed or not.
●● Swanage is also home to LSWR ‘T3’ 4-4-0 No. 563 and ‘M7’ 0-4-4T No. 30053 (both currently under overhaul).