No. 5967 BICKMARSH HALL
Bickmarsh Hall is arguably one of the more low‑profile ‘Halls’ in preservation, having never really enjoyed the limelight since it was rescued from Barry in 1987.
Based in sheds around the West Midlands for much of its working life, it spent most of its post‑nationalisation career based at Banbury
(84C) before it was reallocated to Newton Abbot in January 1955. Here it would have worked holiday expresses and relief services on their way down to resorts in Devon and Cornwall. No. 5967 spent its final BR years allocated to Westbury, from where it was withdrawn in June 1964.
It arrived at Barry the following month and remained there until August 1987, when it was purchased – along with ‘28XX’ No. 2874, ‘2884’ No. 3855, ‘42XX’ No. 4253 and ‘56XX’ No. 5668 – by Tony Rippingale and taken to the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway.
It was the last ‘49XX’ to leave the yard. In late 2007, all but No. 5668 were put up for sale, with Bickmarsh Hall being purchased by Nick Gilbert and moved in January 2008 to the Northampton & Lamport Railway, where it is currently undergoing a slow but steady restoration.
Also based at the NLR for future use with Bickmarsh Hall is the tender from classmate No. 5006 Tregenna Castle which, on June 6 1932, set a speed record for the class by achieving 92.3mph during a special ‘Cheltenham Flyer’ run between Swindon and Paddington, covering the 77 miles between the two stations at an average speed of 87.2mph.
Status:
Under restoration
Location: Northampton & Lamport Railway
Owner: Nick Gilbert
Built: Swindon, March 1937
Withdrawn: Westbury (83C), June 1964