The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
The forgotten ‘pioneer’
Iain Smith, part of a volunteer team The Carmyllie Pilot Company Ltd, has been in touch and says: “Ian Fraser is the forgotten ‘pioneer’ of steam preservation in Scotland.
“Not only did he save the three items mentioned in your recent article, but a further two steam locomotives – Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 No. 46464 in 1966 and in 1973 a small industrial 0-4-0T locomotive built by Peckett of Bristol in 1915 which had worked at the Burntisland Aluminium Factory, which is now privately owned and is at the Caledonian Railway (Brechin) Ltd.
“Ian had always had ‘steam’ in his blood, starting with his many outings to the Angus glens as a boy with the family, in a steam car designed by his father, who founded the Arbroath Engineering firm of Douglas Fraser and Sons.
“In August 1966 he purchased directly from British Railways, Ivatt class 2 2-6-0, No.46464, known to many as the ‘Carmyllie
Pilot’. Built new at Crewe in 1950 it came north to Dundee in July of that year and was there throughout its working life with BR. Her regular duties were trips from Dundee to Arbroath and ‘goods’ services over the Carmyllie branch.
“During the 1960s, Ian was regularly down at Arbroath Station and became firm friends with driver Sandy Whyte. It was his hospitality that led to Ian’s close association with 46464. For many years Sandy’s order of the day to his fireman: ‘Awa you go hame, Mr Fraser’s here.’
“Thankfully Ian was able to save 46464.
Following the closure of the old steam shed in Dundee she had a spell entombed in a shed in East Dock Street, before going on loan to the recently formed Strathspey Railway at Aviemore in 1975. There she was returned to working order for the first time and ran the first train on the newly reopened line in 1978. Following many years out of use the locomotive returned to Angus in 1989.
“In 2000, The Carmyllie Pilot Company Ltd was formed and set about restoring her to working order on a site at Bridge of Dun, not far from her old stomping grounds. This work has been undertaken by a dedicated band of five volunteers over the last 21 years. In 2019, her boiler was sent to Stockton-onTees for specialised repairs on the firebox and boiler. This expensive work is now nearing completion. Work on the remainder of the engine was progressing well, and in November 2019 we teamed up with the Strathspey Railway at Aviemore.
“The tender and locomotive frames were returned there in February 2020, when her rebuild was started.
“This work has been affected by the pandemic but, despite the difficulties, her tender was returned in November 2020 and, as things improve, it is hoped that we can restart work on the locomotive. We hope that she will be back in operation in 2022.
“If any of your readers have information on 46464 or Ian Fraser, I would be pleased to hear from them by email at iainsmith464@yahoo.com. For those on social media, we can be followed on Facebook at The Carmyllie Pilot Company Ltd.”