‘J27’ IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY AFTER 13-YEAR ABSENCE

65894: On February 19, the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group’s ‘J27’ 0-6-0 was reunited with North Yorkshire Moors Railway metals when it was towed from Pickering New Bridge to Grosmont, after an absence of 13 years. It left the line in May 2005 for Locomotion at Shildon, and dropped its fire for the last time on May 29 2006 at the conclusion of a three-day event at Darlington to mark the 40th anniversary of the closure of the nearby North Road works. Overhauled by NELPG volunteers at Hopetown works, including the fitting of a new cylinder block, it will now be completed at Grosmont.