4th August 2009

Just a quick plug! As blog followers will know, the J21 that was formerly owned by Beamish has been transferred to a new trust – the Locomotive Conservation and Learning Trust. Two members of the Beamish staff (myself and Jim Rees) are Trustees of this, along with Julian Birley (well known for his financial miracles at the North Norfolk Railway) and Tony Streeter, one of the best known and highest regarded railway journalists around.
Have a look at the blog, which won’t show much yet but in time will be a means of communicating the progress of the project. You can find it at http://lclt2009.blogspot.com and we also have a website at www.lclt.org.uk

Below are a few photos to remind us all how fantastic this engine will look when it is restored, hopefully in time for its 125th birthday in 2014…

Below: 65033 at Tebay while on railtour duty.

Below: Taking water at Kirby Stephen, again while working a railtour.

Below: 65033 in store at Consett Iron Works after purchase from the scrapman and removal from BR at Darlington.

Below: A summers day in 1977 and 65033, as NER 876, stands at the reconstructed Rowley Station at Beamish Museum. Incidentally, at Beamish we are working on restoration plan for the NER brakevan at the rear of this short train.

Below: 65033 at the 2004 Doncaster Works open day. It had been painted in BR black by Beamish and Steam Railway Magazine and its presentable appearance rather belied its poor condition beneath the shiny paintwork. It moved from Doncaster to Bream, where it was dismantled for survey at the Flour Mill Workshops. It later moved to the North Norfolk Railway where it is currently stored pending a full restoration to main line standards. The LCLT is currently fund raising for this project – see paragraph at the top of this post for details.