‘SpaceShip’ 92134 moveS to NYmR foR RetuRN to Steam
single-chimney ‘9F’ goes back to first preservation home – and should steam next year.
Unique surviving single-chimney ‘9F’ No. 92134 is returning to its first preservation home in a move to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The Riddles 2-10-0, which is in the final stages of its restoration from Barry condition, was due to arrive at the NYMR on April 23, moving from the East Lancashire Railway where it has been based since 2016 (SR452). Under a new agreement with its owners, Howard and Heather Self, the NYMR will finish its restoration, with the aim of completing it during the early part of the 2019 season. It will then stay on the line for a minimum of five years. NYMR General Manager Chris Price said: “A ‘9F’ will be extremely useful to the NYMR and will be utilised on our dining train alongside normal passenger duties. As it’s the only single-chimney example in preservation we are more than honoured to be chosen to complete this rebuild. “It would be wrong to talk about the details of the agreement, but it will be on similar terms to the successful agreement with the owning trust of ‘4MT’ No. 80136.” The move brings the engine full circle – it was initially based at the NYMR after it was rescued from Barry in December 1980 by the Standard Nine Locomotive Company. It moved on in early 1984 for a contract restoration at Brightlingsea in Essex, but little progress was made and it remained in store there until Mr and Mrs Self acquired it in 1999 (SR232). First moved to the Churnet Valley Railway, the bulk of its restoration was carried out at LNWR Crewe before the transfer to Bury. However, the ELR says that it has more urgent tasks, such as completing the restoration of ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80097 and the forthcoming overhaul of ‘Jinty’ No. 47324. “The ‘9F’ would take resources away from our other projects,” ELR Finance Director David Layland told Steam Railway. “There’s no acrimony between us and the owner. We mutually agreed [to allow No. 92134 to leave].” Arrangements for the use of a suitable tender are still under consideration pending the construction of its own new-build replacement; its original BR1C example was sold separately from Barry and is now paired, in heavily modified form, with ‘8P’ 4-6-2 No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester. In the same year that it left Barry, No. 92134 became the sole surviving single-chimney ‘9F’ when classmate No. 92085 was cut up at Dai Woodham’s yard that July.