Appeal launched to bring Peter’s Hibberd back to life
THE family of the late railway author photographer Peter Nicholson has launched an appeal to restore one of the locomotives in his collection.
Hibberd Planet 4wDM No.2201 of 1939, built for the Surbiton Sewage Works in Surrey, was bought by Peter from there in 1976. He moved it to Brockham Museum and then to the now-closed Gloddfa Ganol museum at Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1978, to the Somerset and Avon Railway in 1990, to the Vobster Light Railway in 1992, and then to the Devon Railway Centre in 1998, where it has been based ever since.
Peter died on October 30 last year, aged 75, as reported in issue 313.
His grandson, Josh Brinsford, said: “The locomotive has not worked for many years, but this is something I would really like to change. I would really like the locomotive to move to the Westonzoyland Light Railway, near Bridgwater, which will mean that we can finally start a major restoration for an eventual return to traffic.
“The amount we are hoping and needing to achieve will be £6000, which will pay for the locomotive’s transportation from the Devon
Railway Centre to the Westonzoyland Light Railway, £2-£4000 for the wheels to be reprofiled, £500-£1000 for the engine work, which will include new hoses and an oil and radiator overhaul, £200-£300 for the brakes to be sorted and controls for the engine to be replaced, £75-£150 for the gearbox controls to be freed up, and finally an additional £500 in case of cost increases.”
Josh also appealed for volunteers to help with the restoration at Westonzoyland.
Donations can be made online at https://gofund.me/45e1357f