The Aln Valley Railway, in Northumberland, has announced that it will take delivery of its second working steam locomotive in a couple of weeks.

The locomotive is Austerity HE3686/1948 which arrived at the Lambton Loco Shed, in County Durham, in January 1949. It later worked at Hetton-le-Hole, Springwell Bank Foot, Sherburn Hill, Blackhall Colliery and Dawdon Colliery – where it arrived in 1965.

Many works visits were made including one to have the fitting of a mechanical stoker completed in 1962. This was later removed in 1967. Its National Coal Board career ended with it being a standby loco for the diesel locomotives at the Dawdon Colliery, in County Durham.

The locomotive was purchased for preservation by Mr. Stephen Wood and operated on the Strathspey Railway as No. 60, where Mr. Wood was a Director.

However, it was out of service for 20 years and was moved to the Hepscott Works of Ian Storey in Northumberland. The aim? A heavy overhaul, boiler repairs and attention to items such as bearings.

The Aln Valley railway is pleased to announce that it will take delivery, in the next few weeks, of its second working steam locomotive.

The steam locomotive will arrive at Lionheart, Alnwick, in Mid March, where it will receive a full repaint into black livery and undergo a ‘running in’ period.

When will the steam locomotive be ready to have a ride?

The Aln Valley Railway hopes to introduce the locomotive into public service on the weekend of 5th-7th May when the railway is holding a ‘Branch End 50’ gala to mark the 50 years since the Alnmouth to Alnwick Branch was closed in 1968.

• Visit the Aln Valley Railway website
  For more information