SOLD! ‘CASTLE’ GOES TO GCR
…but no main line running for ex-Barry veteran Thornbury Castle, which moves from WSR.
Unrestored ‘Castle’ No. 7027 Thornbury Castle has yet another new owner, after it was privately purchased for restoration on the Great Central Railway.
A “significant supporter” of the GCR, who did not wish to be identified, bought the Collett 4-6-0 after having been alerted to its potential availability by Steam Railway’s exclusive story in SR499, in which its previous owner – West Somerset Railway plc chairman Jonathan Jones-Pratt – revealed that he was “open to offers” for the 1949-built locomotive.
Speaking to SR, Mr Jones-Pratt – who also owns ‘Hall’ No. 4936 Kinlet Hall and ‘94XX’ pannier tank No. 9466 – said: “We have never advertised the engine; the news broke out and it went from there! I was never 100% decided in many ways to sell her, but it feels like the right thing to do now.”
It was due to be moved from Williton on the WSR to Loughborough at the time of going to press on January 29. Once restored to working order, No. 7027 will remain at the LoughboroughLeicester line for the duration of its ‘ten-year’ ticket but will not be restored to main line condition, said a GCR spokesman.
Its managing director Michael Gough said: “We are very excited that this iconic locomotive is coming to the GCR and very proud that the new owner has chosen to have it restored in our works and for it to run here at the Great Central once completed. This is a major project and will involve significant hours and expense, but we are ready for the challenge and looking forward to its arrival.”
Mr Jones-Pratt added: “I love Western Region engines, so a ‘Castle’ for me is the best in many ways and yes, I am sad.
Having invested a lot in 4936 [Kinlet Hall], I simply cannot see how we would do 7027. Life is busy and
I just need to be realistic.”
“I am passionate for her to be restored and that’s why I have let her go now. Otherwise she would have just sat in the restoration queue as time passed; I never wanted to be one of those owners. If we are going to do something, we generally do it.
“For me, the deciding factors to sell it were that the GCR is a heritage main line, so she will be able to stretch her legs, that they wish to keep her as a ‘Castle’, and that they have an excellent track record in delivering such projects, so for me, this fits.”
There has been no timescale set for Thornbury Castle’s return to steam, nor any estimate on how much it will cost, as the restoration team will need to assess its condition and what parts are available before work starts, said GCR Events & Marketing Manager Michael Stokes.