‘Q6’ No. 63395 TO RETURN TO NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY GUISE IN 2019
Unique Raven ‘Q6’ No. 63395 will be outshopped in its original North Eastern Railway livery for the first time in preservation during 2019. For one year only, the 1918-built 0-8-0 will be turned out in its as-built guise as No. 2238, in NER lined black with its number on the tender surrounded by the initials ‘N. E.’ and a small worksplate positioned on the cabside. This will be the first time it has appeared in this livery in preservation as, although it has carried NER livery since it was preserved in 1968, this was the earlier, pre-1917 version of the locomotive’s pre-Grouping livery, with NER in full on the tender and large cast brass cabside numberplates. The repaint is being done to celebrate the NER ‘T2’s’ centenary. Although No. 63395 is 100 years old this year, as it was turned out from Darlington in December 1918, the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group, which owns the locomotive, is treating next year as the ‘Q6’s’ centenary year. The locomotive will stay in this guise for the whole of 2019, after which it will revert to BR livery as No. 63395 – as voted for by NELPG volunteers and members – during winter maintenance in 2019/20. The ‘Q6’ is currently approaching the end of a major overhaul inside NELPG’s Deviation Shed workshop at Grosmont on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where it last steamed at the end of 2016. It is expected back in traffic during this summer.