Awdry grant given to Teddy

THE overhaul of the boiler of Peckett Yorktown class 0-4-0ST No. 2012 of 1941 Teddy, one of the smallest standard gauge locomotives ever built, has been boosted with a grant from the Veronica Awdry Charitable Trust.

Veronica is the daughter of the late Reverend Wilbert Awdry, author of the Thomas the Tank Engine stories, and her trust was set up in 2005 to support charitable organisations and individuals, primarily in and around Devon. Funds donated come from the royalties received from the stories.

Teddy is named after the Reverend Teddy Boston, who was a close friend of Wilbert, and thus it is rather fitting that the trust has supported the overhaul of the 1941-built locomotive.

The £1500 grant will go towards the overhaul of the boiler, for which the contract was due to be awarded imminently, with stripping down planned to occur over the winter at Shackerstone where Teddy relocated to in June.