Swanscombe No. 6 returns to action at Middleton as ‘H’ No. 1310 prepares for a rest
NEWLY overhauled Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Swanscombe No. 6 (3860/1935) is back in traffic at the Middleton Railway, some 46 years after it last worked a train and 20 years since its overhaul was begun.
The former Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers (APCM) locomotive worked its first public passenger train since October 18, 1975 on August 22, as part of its running-in trials, but it was officially welcomed back into service during the Leeds line’s First and Last Chance Gala on September 4/5.
No. 6, resplendent in a vibrant version of its original APCM livery, performed very well over the course of the two days. It worked a variety of passenger and goods turns over the main line between Moor Road and Middleton Park, as well as making several forays over the Balm Road branch and, according to Middleton spokesman, Ian Smith, “fully justified the time and money spent on it.”
“It will be a great asset to the railway in the coming years,” Mr Smith added.
Appearances
If No. 6 represented the ‘first’ chance in the event’s name, the ‘last’ chance came in the form of North Eastern Railway ‘H’ 0-4-0T No. 1310, which was making the final gala appearance of its current boiler certificate. The ex-Pelaw Main Colliery veteran’s ‘ticket’ actually expires in January, so it may work some ‘Santa’ trains towards the end of the year before bowing out for a wellearned rest.
No. 1310 has previously been linked with the planned Stockton & Darlington Railway bicentenary celebrations in 2025, yet so far as another overhaul is concerned, Ian Smith told The RM that “it is intended to give the loco a rest for now as it’s had three sets of operation and we also don’t actually need a loco for a while. It will be ‘bulled up’ and placed on display for a while before any decision is made on the next overhaul.”
Schedule
In the meantime, Middleton volunteers will be concentrating on completing the overhaul of the Vintage Carriages Trust’s Manning Wardle ‘L’ class 0-6-0ST Sir Berkeley (1210/1891), which is expected to emerge from the Moor Road workshop in full Logan & Hemingway two-tone green early next year. It will be followed through the works by ex-Slough Trading Estate Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0ST Slough Estates No. 3 (1544/1924), and the hope is that the loco will be able to steam for its 100th anniversary in 2024.
Another possible overhaul candidate, which may leapfrog No. 1310 in the overhaul queue, is cut-down Pye Hill Colliery Hunslet 0-4-0ST No. 11 (1493/1925), which has been in the workshop for many years in a dismantled state. Plans are afoot to make a start on the loco soon.