It is now 12 years since Ivatt 2MT 46443 went on display in the Severn Valley Railway‘s The Engine House visitor centre at Highley after it was withdrawn from service because of boiler issues.

A new charity has now been formed to help resurrect the locomotive, which is owned by the ‘SVR 46443 Fund’, and the charity is in the process of opening an appeal to help make this happen.

Arriving on the Severn Valley Railway on 22nd April 1967 in full working order, 46443 rapidly became a mainstay of the railway’s fleet. As well as being reliable and economical, 46443 was well suited for use on footplate experience courses and hauling shorter six- or seven-coach trains.

In 1984 through the contributions and efforts of a large number of Severn Valley Railway volunteers, and others, 46443 was purchased and soon received the richly-deserved nickname, of The People’s Engine.

The Fund’s chair Alvin Barker said: “For this incredibly useful engine to live again on the SVR there will need to be significant funds raised. The committee feels that the most appropriate way forward is to convert to a simple charity, which will give access to many sources of funds and where applicable, Gift Aid on donations.

“This would need the approval of both the shareholders and the Charity Commission. Members’ shares would be converted to certificates of interest which cannot be sold or transferred, but do initially give automatic membership of the charity.

“Further details will be circulated on receiving?a response from the Charity Commission, together with any future fund-raising projects that we propose. If you would like to help in any way, please email your interest and details of how you could support us with this project to Roger Scanlon at [email protected] .”