Leander and 46441 united at family reunion

TWO LOCOMOTIVES owned by the Beet family – ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander and Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2‑6‑0 No. 46441 – were united for the first time at the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway in March.

Following its appearance at the East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Legends of Steam’ gala (see separate story), the Stanier three‑cylinder 4‑6‑0 moved to the Cumbrian line on March 19, and teamed up with LHR resident No. 46441 on March 21, for a private train organised to allow the Beet family to enjoy the two locomotives working together. Leander then starred in a photographic charter organised by Peter van Campenhout the following day; No. 46441 did not participate as it was being cleaned ahead of the start of the LHR’s regular public services commencing that weekend.

The two locomotives then shared duties hauling public services on March 23/24. After the last service train on the Sunday, the opportunity was taken to line up LMS locomotives designed by Stanier, Ivatt and Fairburn, with Fairburn ‘4MT’ 2‑6‑4T No. 42073 shunted into the yard at Haverthwaite for photos. There was additional steam traction on show, in the form of the LHR’s resident 6bhp Aveling‑Barford steamroller ‘Patricia’ (Works No. AD073, reg no. CUP 396) and 2019‑built Fowler ‘B6’ road locomotive Talisman (Works No. 16263, reg no. NE 2834)

Leander was the first ‘Jubilee’ to visit Lakeside since the 1960s, and the first Stanier tender locomotive to work over the line since ‘Black Five’ No. 44806 departed in 1974.

Leander had originally been expected to visit the LHR last spring for a series of photo charters (SR539).

Its final public workings before bowing out for overhaul will be at the Epping Ongar Railway’s Festival of Steam on May 4‑6, and on May 11/12.

DAVID CABLE BR red Ivatt ‘2MT’ No. 46441 awaits its next turn of duty as ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander departs Haverthwaite station during the Peter van Campenhout photo charter on March 22.