The Midland Railway – Butterley has announced that steam locomotive No. 68067 is to visit the line for the 2018 season to haul their trains.

Working history of 68067

The locomotive is a 0-6-0 saddle tank which was built in 1943 to the Hunslet Engine Company design. It was built for the Ministry of Defence by Hudswell Clarke and entered service as WD 75091.

Along with many other locomotives, 75091 was bought by the National Coal board and in 1950, it moved to the Holly Bank Colliery, near Wolverhampton. The colliery closed in 1952 and the locomotive moved to the Littleton Colliery in Staffordshire in 1959. It then moved around several collieries before being moved to the Bold Colliery near St Helens in February 1978 where it was named ‘Robert’.

Preservation

‘Robert’ (as it was known in its working life) was withdrawn from working service and sold for preservation in 1982 and was later preserved at the Crewe Heritage Centre.

It arrived at the Great Central Railway in November 2007. Since then it has been under overhaul and returned to steam in 2017, where it was given the number 68067 and painted in BR black livery.

What did the officials say?

Alan Calladine the Midland Railway Trust Development Officer said, “This recently restored
locomotive will be a great addition during 2018. This type of locomotive was used in this
area not only in many collieries but also on the famous Cromford and High Peak Railway.”
Further information is available from the above contacts.

Photo credit: Bradley Langton – please go and ‘like’ his Facebook Page by clicking here

• Visit the Midland Railway – Butterly website
  For more information