West Coast Mk.1s head to Japan

of plans to create a new Harry Potter attraction in Japan, the pre-christmas period saw Great Western Railway 4-6-0 steam locomotive 4920 Dumbleton Hall and two Mk.1 coaches transferred from Carnforth to Southampton Docks for shipping to the Far East.

The departure of the 1929-built ‘Hall’ – which was previously based on the South Devon Railway prior to being sold last year – has unsurprisingly attracted the bulk of the attention and some criticism, having been cosmetically restored by West Coast Railway Company, although the locomotive had not been steamed since 1999.

In preparation for its new role, one of the Mk.1s has been cut clean in half with supports added underneath, and it was observed sheeted over in this condition on a low loader heading for Southampton. This vehicle is believed to be SK 18767 (more recently 99710), which had not worked for some time and was transferred in a dilapidated condition from Southall to Carnforth last June.

The identity of the other complete Mk.1 is not known at present, but is likely to be another of the out of favour SKS.