We are delighted to have been informed that No.18 (Lewin) has been awarded the Heritage Railway Association’s ‘John Coiley Award’ for locomotive restoration for 2012.  This is obviously wonderful news for all of those involved in the project and terrific recognition for an industrial locomotive (I think a Deltic – KOYLI – won it last year).  I am sure there will be more in the railway press regarding this and in due course there will be a published history of No.18 as part of the proposed (and developing) ‘Beamish Transport Monograph’ series.

As a reminder of the project, here is a sequence of photos charting its history…  It is a useful reminder of just how much work was carried out to restore No.18 by a relatively small group of staff, volunteers and contractors (in fact, a member of staff, a volunteer and four contractors in essence!).  One of the New Year jobs will be sorting our the patterns, alongside many others, made by Dave Young and Peak Patterns, and placing online a register of what is available to borrow for other restorers.

And finally, a question…  Does any reader know of anyone who has restored, to operation, gas lighting inside working railway carriages?