Colliery pair unveiled at Newtongrange
TWO industrial locomotives have been unveiled by the National Mining Museum Scotland in Newtongrange, near Dalkeith, following cosmetic restoration.
The Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s (SRPS) Barclay 0-4-0ST No.1458of1956no.3 Lady Victoria and the National Mining Museum’s Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 2284 of 1949 NCB No. 21 were unveiled on February 20, following the restoration project, funded by Museums Galleries Scotland.
The conservation of the locomotives has been carried out by a dedicated team of experts and volunteers from the society. It has also provided opportunities for both museums’ youth groups to take part in conservation workshops and hands-on restoration.
Museum curator Nicola Moss said: “We are delighted to unveil these two wonderfully restored locomotives and show our guests the excellent work which has been carried out to enable many future generations to learn about the role of steam locomotives in the mining industry.”
No. 1458 was sold to the Lothian Coal Company in 1919 and finished working at NCB Newtongrange.
It has had a cosmetic overhaul, which included replacing the cab floor and a lot of the cab and bunker and been returned to a livery it carried at Newtongrange.
No. 2284 was employed by the National Coal Board in the West Ayr Area as No. 21 at Pennyvenie Colliery. The museum is the site of the former Lady Victoria Colliery which was mothballed after the 1980s miners’ strike but was never brought back into use. Redeveloped as the museum, it contains what has been said to be the best preserved group of Victorian mining buildings in Europe.
Kevin Mccallum of Network Rail said: “Thank you to the partnership between the SRPS and National Mining Museum Scotland for making all of this happen. These locos were absolutely vital for the smooth running of the colliery and it’s important that the museum continues to tell the story of coal for Scotland.”
In a separate development involving an SRPS locomotive, the Leven-based Fife Heritage Railway took delivery of the Barclay 2046 of 1937, British Aluminium Company No.3, on a 10-year loan.
An appeal for £1200 towards its movement was reached within days, after an anonymous donor from England gave around £600. The group has firstly undertaken cosmetic work on the locomotive.
Supplied new to the Bauxite reduction works in Burntisland, it spent its entire working life there until displaced by Fowler diesels in 1971 and placed in storage. It was donated to the SRPS in 1989.