Steam tram moves to the Moors

A diminutive steam tram – one of the smallest locomotives in Britain - has moved to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, one of the biggest preserved lines in the country.


Cockerill 0-4-0VBT steam tram ‘Lucie’ is manoeuvred onto the back of a low loader on September 12, ready to leave the Middleton Railway for its journey to Grosmont. MIDDLETON RAILWAY

Belgian-built Cockerill 0-4-0VBT ‘Lucie’ (Works No. 1625 of 1890) has been sold by the Middleton Railway near Leeds to two private individuals who have shipped the steam tram to the NYMR for restoration.

Middleton Railway Trust Chairman, Malcolm Johnson, said: “This historic little locomotive has seen little use at Middleton and we are delighted to be able to see it go to a new home where it will be able to be restored and used occasionally.”

‘Lucie’ arrived at Grosmont on the NYMR on September 12 and it is understood restoration will begin after the railway’s ‘Autumn Steam Gala’ on September 29-October 1.

The departure of the Cockerill 0-4-0VBT from the Middleton Railway coincided with the arrival of Mersey Docks & Harbour Board Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM No. 45. The diesel has been transferred to Middleton from the East Somerset Ralway-based Sentinel Diesel Preservation Group.

Mr Johnson said: “We are delighted to have acquired this historic locomotive and it will now become part of our ‘Leeds Collection’ of locomotives manufactured in the city. It has been well maintained and is a great example of Leeds engineering.”

As the locomotive is vacuum fitted and in full working order, it will enter service on Saturday passenger trains as soon as sufficient drivers have been trained in its use.

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It will be interesting to know where the Cockerill is intended to run. Presumably the NYMR is not its intended home.

 

Ideal steam heating loco. I think they use a steam crane for that role too, which is a great secondary use for a crane boiler.

 

In recent years a hired steam generator housed in a container then mounted on a lowmac has been used to preheat winter trains at Pickering at some cost.

Lucie will fill this role once overhauled as well providing for testing steam heat repairs. She will also provide some interest at special events and be used as C&W shunter on occasion and other fun things.

Sawdust.

 

Sounds like great fun!

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

So she is not going to run in the old horse tunnel then?
Shucks.
That would have been great fun as well