‘Forgotten’ Henry to return to steam at Watford

WATFORD Miniature Railway’s latest acquisition, 4-6-2 Henry (RM Dec p72), is seen at the station in Cassiobury Park on November 7.

The 10¼in gauge loco will perhaps, always be best known as Commodore Vanderbilt, the name it carried for many years. It was then an American outline 4-6-4, but when built by Ernest Dove in 1950 for the Gwrych

Castle Railway, it was No. 1950 Silver Queen for its first season. Dove then modified its appearance slightly and gave it a new name.

After several moves and changes of ownership it arrived at the new Ferry Meadows Railway (FMR), Peterborough in 1978. There, it was rebuilt as a 4-6-2 with British outline by Alec Mills in 1981 and renamed

Henry. It ran on the FMR until the line changed hands in 2007 when sold to Alan Potter at Kendal. However, his railway was never completed before his death in December 2020.

Full restoration of the ‘Pacific’ is required, having been stored for about 12 years, so it will be a year or two before it runs again.