New owners for historic Victorian steam locomotive.
The Engine Shed Museum at Ingrow is pleased to announce that the National Trust have handed ownership of the steam locomotive, former LNW Railway ‘Coal Tank’ No.1054, to the Bahamas Locomotive Society. The volunteer members of the Society have cared for the locomotive since 1973, first at their Dinting Railway Centre museum in Derbyshire, then latterly at their accredited museum, the Engine Shed at Ingrow, on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in Yorkshire.
Ceri Williams, General Manager at Penrhyn Castle and Garden, National Trust Cymru said, “We’re grateful to the Bahamas Locomotives Society for the care they’ve given Coal Tank over the last 51 years, and their tremendous efforts to continue allowing public access to this locomotive through a number of exhibitions and roadshows.”
“As we redevelop our experience at Penrhyn Castle to better showcase its industrial history and rehome some of the locomotives that unconnected to the Penrhyn story, it’s the right time for us to be placing Coal Tank officially in the care of the Bahamas Locomotives Society.”
“Thanks to the Bahamas Locomotive Society and their dedicated team of staff and volunteers, Coal Tank is the only operational example of an LNWR locomotive and one of the few from the Victorian era existing today. It’s a privilege to play our part in this journey and we’re looking forward to seeing this loco continued to be celebrated widely.”
Chairman of the Society, Keith Whitmore, said: “We are delighted to receive the Coal Tank into our collection, and wish to thank the National Trust who, for many years, have supported us in our endeavours to maintain and operate this unique locomotive for the benefit of all.”
Built in September 1888, the engine was saved from the scrapyard in 1961 by the efforts of J M Dunn on behalf of the Webb Coal Tank Engine Preservation Fund. The first locomotive to be purchased by ‘crowd funding’, and with limited opportunity for display, the engine was donated to the National Trust in 1963 for exhibition at the Penryhn Castle Industrial Railway Museum in North Wales. It arrived at the Castle in 1964.
With limited facilities for its conservation, the engine was placed into the Society’s care, arriving at their Dinting Railway Centre in September 1973. Here it was restored to working order by volunteers and took part in the Rocket 150 celebrations held in 1980 to mark 150 years of the opening of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
On the re-allocation of their collection to Ingrow, and supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the members of the Bahamas Locomotive Society undertook a seven-year major overhaul of the engine, which was completed in 2011. Since then the engine has continued to operate on a variety of heritage railways throughout the country as well as its home railway in the Worth Valley.
On the re-allocation of their collection to Ingrow, and supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the members of the Bahamas Locomotive Society undertook a seven-year major overhaul of the engine, which was completed in 2011. Since then the engine has continued to operate on a variety of heritage railways throughout the country as well as its home railway in the Worth Valley.