Team America: Churnet Valley ‘S160s’ in first double-header
In a preview of its upcoming gala, the Churnet Valley Railway has run two ‘S160’ 2-8-0s together - the first such pairing in Britain for over 70 years. The powerful spectacle took place on the evening of February 5, as Greg Wilson’s freshly outshopped No. 5197 was sent out for its first loaded test run, in partnership with his other example, No. 6046. No. 5197 had made its first moves under its own steam the previous day, following a three-year overhaul in Cheddleton’s workshops. It had been hoped to begin trials in November, but its completion was delayed by the need to make new superheater elements after a deal to borrow a set fell through - and the late delivery of its piston gland packing springs, while CVR staff were also occupied during December with No. 6046’s stint on the Telford Steam Railway’s ‘Polar Express’ trains. It was the first time that two of the US Army Transportation Corps locomotives had steamed together in Britain since 1944, when all but one were shipped to Europe following the D-Day landings. The sole example to remain in the UK afterwards was scrapped at the Longmoor Military Railway in 1957. Today, seven of the class are preserved in this country, of which five have been restored to working order at various times - but have never been brought together. Although a few minor issues were found during the test run, No. 5197 is expected to make its public debut at the CVR’s Winter Steam Gala on February 25/26, double-heading with No. 6046 on the last train to Ipstones on both days. The guest engine is SECR ‘P’ 0-6-0T No. 323 ‘Bluebell’ from the Bluebell Railway, and resident Polish ‘TKh’ 0-6-0T No. 2944 ‘Hotspur’ will also be in steam. Lima-built No. 5197 and Baldwin-built No. 6046 never served in Britain during the Second World War, being among the later batches shipped directly to Europe following the Allied invasion. No. 5197 ended up in China, being acquired and imported to the UK by Derek Foster in 1996. The locomotive steamed for the first time at the Llangollen Railway in 2001, and Mr Wilson purchased it the same year. Its boiler ticket expired just before Christmas 2009, and the overhaul commenced on June 20 2013. The work has included modifications to its air-brake system in the light of experience with No. 6046.