Thanks to Steve for this update from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Interesting news for steam railway enthusiasts. Ed
One Beattie Well Tank Pull-Out – Another Takes its Place!
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway has confirmed that the ex-London & South Western Railway (LSWR) Beattie Well Tank Locomotive No. 30587 from Bodmin in Cornwall, which was due to make her first-ever appearance on the Island at the Railway’s 40th Anniversary Gala, has had to pull-out due to boiler-tube failure.
However, she is replaced by ‘sister’ Beattie Well Tank Locomotive No. 30585 from the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.
Travelling from The Bluebell Railway
Affectionately known as ‘Beattie’, No. 30585 will appear with ex-London Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR) E4 Class locomotive No. 473 ‘Birch Grove’, which will be travelling over from The Bluebell Railway in mid-Sussex to make her third appearance at the Havenstreet-based steam line.
The visiting locomotives will be in steam at the first of the IW Steam Railway’s 2011 Gala Weekends – one of many events being staged during this year to mark the 40th Anniversary of the IW Steam Railway. This ’40th Anniversary Spring Gala’ will be held over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday 28th May to Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May.
History of visiting locomotives
Both visiting locomotives were built when Queen Victoria reigned and will be working alongside the IW Steam Railway’s own Victorian locos, the 1891-built No. 24 ‘Calbourne’ and No. 8 ‘Freshwater’ which dates from 1876, possibly making the Gala the largest gathering of Victorian locomotives in steam on the Island since 1966!
The 1874-built Beattie Well Tank No. 30585 appears courtesy of The Quainton Road Society at The Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, who very generously stepped-in to help after the Bodmin-based Beattie Loco (No. 30587) failed due to leaking boiler tubes. “We are hugely indebted to the team at The Bucks Railway Centre for pulling-out all the stops to make their Beattie available to us at short notice”, said IW Steam Railway General Manager Pater Vail. “We are now still able to operate our full service of passenger and goods trains planned for our very special 40th Anniversary Gala weekend”.
Former LSWR locomotives reunited
Its visit will also mean that the IW Steam Railway’s flagship locomotive No. 24 ‘Calbourne’ will be joined for the first time since 1966 with another former LSWR locomotive. No. 30585 was designed by Joseph Hamilton Beattie, who held the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer for the LSWR from 1850 until 1871, while ‘Calbourne’ was built in 1891 at the Nine Elms locomotive works of the LSWR to a design by the then Chief Mechanical Engineer, William Adams.
Meanwhile 1898-built No. 473 ‘Birch Grove’ appears courtesy of The Bluebell Railway in East Sussex, and her visit will unite it with another former LBSCR loco, No. 8 ‘Freshwater’. Both locomotives were built at the former Brighton locomotive works.
Auctions at the Gala Weekend
The Gala weekend will also feature a major Auction of Railwayana featuring over 150 lots. Organised in conjunction with Island Auctions, lots include a mainline locomotive nameplate of significant interest to collectors, various paintings including a number of signed Cuneo prints, various railway signs and books, and a number of special experience days. The full auction catalogue will be available on the Steam Railway’s website soon.
Other key events in the IW Steam Railway’s 40th Anniversary year include a weekend featuring 40 hours of ‘non-stop’ trains at the end of June and ‘A Celebration of Island Steam’ in September. There is also a series of walks along some of the Island’s former railway lines, specially commissioned film shows, and a 40th Anniversary Year lecture in November with a renowned guest speaker from the world of railways and the media.
