‘B1’ relocates to Ruddington

THOMPSON ‘B1’ No. 1264 is moving to the Nottingham Heritage Railway (NHR) to begin its next overhaul, departing from its operating base of the last 10 years at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR). The 4-6-0 last ran on the NYMR in 2019 but was withdrawn from traffic in March 2020 after the discovery of cracks in the firebox. These will need to be rectified as part of the overhaul. It will likely mean an entirely new inner firebox, as well as needing attention to the axleboxes and hornguides, new tender tank and new tyres. The loco’s custodians, the Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust (TBLT) intends to keep No. 1264 main line registered – the NHR’s soon-to-be restored connection to the mainline being another factor in the Trust’s decision to move it to Ruddington. Dave Horton, TBLT secretary, said: “Many of our members and in particular our engineers are based in the Midlands so it is time to bring the loco closer to home.” The TBLT is keen to encourage new members and volunteers. Details of how to get involved can be found at www. thompsonb1.org