With under a week to go before the Beeches Light railway goes under the hammer the Darjeeling Tank Locomotive Trust has raised a significant six-figure sum in its quest to buy the late Adrian Shooter’s 1889 built ‘B’ Class 0-4-0SWTT No. 19.

There has been much guessing at the likely hammer price by Trustees and unless what Chairman Jeremy Davey says is a ‘left field bid’ emerges by a wealthy collector, they are hopeful that they can make a successful bid.

This was boosted by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society who in late May made a donation of £40,000 to support the bid.

David Mead, newly elected Chairman of the DHRS commented that “This donation will hopefully ensure that the Trust will be successful in their endeavours. We have known the people behind the Trust for many years, and if they are successful, we look forward to ever-closer working relations with them in the future.”

Jeremy Davey, Chair of the DTLT thanked the DHRS saying, “The Trustees were overwhelmed with the generosity of our friends at the DHRS and we thank them on behalf of our supporters. This wonderful gift takes us much further towards our primary objective of acquiring 19B and carrying on Adrian’s legacy and wishes.”

Since then more 5-figure donations have been received and it is hoped that the two BLR carriages can also be acquired at the auction. Mr Shooter’s gamily have supported the fund raising with significant donations indicating their support for the Trust. Mrs Shooter has even entered the railway’s spanners, Henry hoover, table and chairs, and the 19B’s rubber storm sheet in the auction.

The Beeches Light Railway’s final steaming took place on 14^th May run by members of the BLR crew for the benefit of the auctioneers’ photography for the auction catalogue.

The volunteers fitted their memorial wreath of bright dried flowers in classic Indian colours for Mr Shooter on 19B’s smokebox for this final Beeches steaming after which Mr Davey posted an emotional final message on the Darjeeling Tank Trust Social media platforms reading as follows:

A deeply emotional day today. With a skeleton crew we steamed 19B for a final, private occasion, ran her for lap after lap around the Beeches Light Railway, gave more footplate rides than we have ever given before, then quietly put her to bed as the invited guests left.

Her smokebox and tubes are swept clean, in her firebox the remaining embers are piled to cool the aging patches gently, her ashpan is raked out, her boiler is full and all is gently cooling. The motion has been wiped clean, the gauge glasses shut off, the clacks closed, and the chimney capped.

As her inner warmth leaves her, she will rest for the foreseeable. All the little bits removed to make her a tender engine have been placed in the cab ready for the auction in 5 weeks’ time. The original roof is leaning on the wall nearby. She is ready to find a new home.

Perchance she only sleepeth, they said. But we still choked up as we thought about it. An era has ended.

The Beeches and that incredible 1in22 climb through the woods will soon be no more. But if you would like to help the story of 19B – as an entertainer, an educator, a bringer-together of like-minded people – continue, please visit www.darjeelingtank.org.uk/support-us. We’d love to hear from you.

Finally, if you will permit me, a personal word. For the last 20 seasons Adrian and I have had the immense joy and privilege of working with an incredible group of people at the BLR. While other people took their boat, their caravan, or their horse on holiday, we all took our engine – to Wales, Cornwall, Cumbria, the Midlands, and even France.

Young people have cut their railway teeth on her. In many ways, the real joy was the people – 19B was just the catalyst. It has been an honour and a privilege to know them, and to work with them. And although we now go on to rails new, we will still meet, still joke, still tease, still talk, still listen… and still remember.