The Statfold Barn Railway at Tamworth in Staffordshire has completed the cosmetic preservation of the 18-inch gauge steam locomotive Woolwich.

Woolwich is an 0-4-0 tank built by the Avonside Engine Co. Ltd 1918, Avonside Works No.1748, for the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich in south London for their site’s 18-inch gauge railway that was in operation until 1960. It then became an attraction on the railway at Bicton Gardens in Devon until the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills Museum purchased it in 2000.

Following a review of its locomotives and rolling stock, the Royal Gunpowder Mills Museum decided to concentrate more on its 2ft. 6-inch narrow gauge railway known as the “Gunpowder Railway”, which left 18-inch gauge steam locomotive Woolwich and diesel locomotive Carnegie, five carriages, and an 18-inch gauge powder wagon surplus to its requirements. The museum transferred Woolwich to the Statfold Barn Railway in 2020.

The reason for carrying out a cosmetical preservation of Woolwich is so that visitors to Statfold Barn can view and enjoy the locomotive within the confines of the railway’s museum building, whilst the railway carries out an assessment to determine a plan for its full restoration in the future.

The Statfold Barn’s “Magical Santa Express” starts its seasonal operations this weekend, Saturday, 25 and Sunday, 26 November, then Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from Fridays, 1 December until Sunday, 17 December, and all of Christmas week from Monday, 18 to Saturday, 23 December.

Tickets for the “Magical Santa Express” can be booked here and cost £20.50 for adults, £25.50 for children, which includes a gift from Santa, £88 for a family ticket for two adults and two children, and concessions from £18.50. These prices include 20 minutes for writing letters to Santa, a train journey, and extra activities including the North Pole Post Office, Mrs Claus’ Bakery & Sweet Treats, The Elves Workshop, Santa’s Toy Shop, Singing Reindeer, Reindeer Snack Station and Santa’s Grotto.