Worcester LOCOMOTIVE SOCIETY
60 years in preservation The Worcester Locomotive Society turns 60 this year – here, its chairman talks about its life and times, and the locomotives in its care.
The Worcester Locomotive Society can trace its roots back to 1960, when the Worcester section of the Ian Allen Loco Spotters Club formed its own group. In the decade that followed, the WLS organised many coach tours, including visits to a variety of steam depots and locomotive works. Some of these shed-bashing excursions took the form of long weekends, and one was an ambitious nine-day tour of Scottish sheds, during which hundreds of locomotives could be crossed off in the spotters’ books. The society’s popularity grew during this time, and membership swelled to over 1,000.
By 1966, WLS members had become keen on the idea of preserving their own steam locomotive. But while there was plenty of enthusiasm, time was in short supply. The decision was taken to generate money, and fast. Two years later, and thanks to fundraising visits to depots (among other activities), £2,000 had been raised.
The members favoured preserving a Great Western pannier tank. In spring 1969 the opportunity arose to purchase a rare gem – a recently withdrawn industrial locomotive in Corby, where Stewarts & Lloyds had several inside-cylindered 0-6-0 saddle tanks available.
Kitson Works No. 5474 Carnarvon (built 1934) and
number 47 in the S&L fleet was duly selected and purchased for the bargain price of £330, and moved to the fledgling Severn Valley Railway at Bridgnorth in October 1969.
Careful choice
The society still had its sights set on preserving a GWR pannier tank, and it inspected Nos. 3650, 7714, 7754, 9600, 9792 and 1607. Alas, all were considered unsuitable, though, as a side note, some of them have been subsequently preserved by other groups. Undeterred, the society entered into negotiations with London Transport for one of its panniers. LT initially put Nos. L91 (No. 5757) or L97 (No. 7749) up for offer. Again, both were deemed unsuitable owing to defects or missing components. However, the society was in luck. LT realised that the society wanted a ‘goer’ and offered No. L92 (No. 5786) which was soon to be withdrawn.
Both locomotives were at first based at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway, where L92 was restored as No. 5786. Carnarvon was used on some early permanent way trains, but both were later moved to the Bulmer’s cider premises in Hereford.
During their time there, Carnarvon and No. 5786 took their turns at open days, and No. 5786 also shunted the ‘Cider Pullman’ on to Bulmer’s sidings from its railtour duties on occasion.
Over the years, the WLS has taken the opportunity to increase its preservation holding, with the acquisition of two GWR mink box vans, using them as storage for tools and spares for servicing the locomotives. Ex-Exeter area Type 27 Wickham trolley No. 6646 (B6W) was spotted and rescued from a scrapyard in Worcester. It was subsequently restored and is still in regular use on the SDR for permanent way use and the occasional society members’ running day.
Another item preserved by the WLS was Simplex petrol shunter Motor Rail 4217/31, rescued from Berry Wiggins, Kingsnorth-on-Medway, who, after being approached for its preservation, generously donated the locomotive to the society. It was duly transported to Herefordshire for restoration.
However, the society’s initial priorities were the restoration of the pannier tank and Carnarvon, so restoration of the Simplex locomotive which, by now, had been identified as a rare survivor took a back seat until 1986, when the society donated it to the National Railway Museum.
Oil crisis hero
Carnarvon made headline news when it was used to shunt the cider apple trains within Bulmer’s yard during the 1973 oil crisis. The locomotive was also selected for use in the shunting portion of the 1984 ‘Footplate Crew of the Year’ competition organised by Steam Railway, and held at Bulmer’s, during which footplatemen demonstrated their prowess in handling a rake of 16-ton mineral wagons around the Bulmer’s complex.
In 1993, the Bulmer Railway Centre was closed, forcing the WLS to find a new home. The South Devon Railway made WLS members and the society’s stock very welcome, the SDR having recently taken over running the line from the Dart Valley Company. No. 5786 was quickly put to use on services, although a thorough heavy overhaul was needed, including extensive boiler work at Pridhams of Tavistock, plus fabrication of new pannier tanks, fitting of cylinder liners and tyres reprofiled in Buckfastleigh workshops .
No. 5786 remains active and it’s presently in the last year of its current boiler ticket, wearing London Transport maroon as its LT alter ego L92. A former stalwart and popular performer on the SDR, the locomotive has been on hire to the Gwili Railway for 2020 and 2021, with a visit planned to the Epping Ongar Railway to attend its London Transport-themed gala.
Preservation in action
Carnarvon on the other hand, having not steamed since 1989, is currently the subject of a full overhaul at Buckfastleigh. Current work is focused on a well-earned refurbishment of the chassis, which has had a hard life in the quarries at Corby. New tyres have been fitted and the journals turned in-house by SDR Engineering. The society has now set its sights on sorting the boiler, which is in the SDRE boilershop for assessment, having not been removed from the frames since it left Corby.
Aside from preservation activities, the WLS has run regular coach tours to various preserved lines around the country, plus the Isle of Man. Some have involving vintage Daimler motor coach DUX655, which is owned by a couple of WLS members. The society has held monthly meetings in Worcester and Hereford at various venues virtually continuously since the society started, with speakers presenting shows on many and varied topics.
In recent years the society has organised the increasingly popular 85A Railwayman’s Reunion, sharing memories, stories, photos and film footage of the former Worcester railway environs with past employees and enthusiasts.