0-6-0 Hunslet No 469 (ex K&ESR Hastings)

For many years I have had a soft spot for this little loco, and can well remember it's dismembered remains at Rolvenden during the late 1980s to mid 1990's when I was an active volunteer on the K&ESR. I know it has moved to the Mangapps Railway Museum in Essex for restoration, but was wondering if anyone can tell me when this happened and if there are any photos of its restoration and what it's current condition is, and when it restoration may be complete? Finally does anyone have any photos of it on the K&ESR - I know it never actually ran on the line and when did the K&ESR take her to pieces and why? Sorry for all the questions but It's always seemed to have been a forgotten early K&ESR preservation loco

Thanks

 

Nick Pallant's book (Holding the Line) has several photos of Hastings on the K&ESR in the 1960s, including one on the day it was first steamed (perhaps for the only time?) at Tenterden. Repairs had been carried out but the boiler was in such a condition that the working pressure had to be reduced to a point where the loco could not haul a useful load. It was owned by the K&ESR Loco Trust but during the 1970s it was sold, together with Charwelton, and taken to the RESCO works in south-east London. Charwelton returned, completed, a few years later but Hastings returned in pieces and stayed that way until going to Mangapps.

There is some more up to date info on the East Essex Locomotive Preservation Society website

 

Thanks for this info. I have the book you mentioned as well as the little booklet celebrating 50 years of the K&ESR since closure which has a pic of 'Hastings' being steamed. Interesting info on the website link. I'm guessing the Loco won't be returning to the K&ESR which is a shame as I would have liked to have seen 'Hastings' and 'Charwelton' topping and tailing a train

 

Here is a link to a rather nice pic (by Tom Burnham) of Hastings at Wittersham Road in 1974.

 

So much stock was sitting scattered around the fledgling K&ESR in the 1970's and yet when I was cutting my preservation teeth there we had such locos as "Marcia" and "Gervase" to enjoy..... aaah! Happy times! The Norwegian mogul seemed so vast compared to a Terrier, let alone "Marcia".

Foxy

 

The restored & now rolling chassis of Hastings has recently moved to Elsecar, reunited with Gervase. The boiler is under overhaul in Norfolk. Pictures and story on the Elsecar Heritage Railway Facebook page.

 

I have also set up a dedicated facebook site for loco Hastings including photographic features covering its life in industrial service and preservation which can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/169705223661918/

Here she is photographed on arrival at Elsecar last Wednesday being shunted by Sentinel 'William' and reunited with her old friend 'Gervase' after many years:


After being unloaded earlier in the day:

Meanwhile the boiler overhaul and fitting of its new firebox is already well underway in the North Norfolk Railway boiler shop

 

Plus a bit of background in the attached pdf :

 

I visited Park Gate Iron and Steel Company's quarry site at Sproxton.on 13/06/1956 ,where Hastings was very kindly pulled out of the loco shed by Charwelton MW 1955/1917.Another visit a couple of years later ,unnumbered/named 0-60ST HC 1630 /1920 was noted .Rail transport was replaced by road to the quarries a few years later. My mode of transport ,train and bike to Oakham.Biked around the quarries. Just under 40 loco,' of several different gauges noted on the June 1956 visit. Photo' of Hastings attached.

 

I have a couple of old photographs, taken in the early 1970s I would guess:


Hastings at Tenterden


I believe the photographs were taken by a Dutchman, as they were found in the archive of a Dutch friend of mine.
The presence of the Ford diesel in the background gives a clue as to the date.

 

I'm very pleased to see that this loco is now rapidly returning to steam after so long in the wilderness. There are a lot of Hunslet locomotives in preservation but the vast majority of standard gauge ones are Austerities or a few of the standard 14",15",16" & 18" 0-6-0ST's. I can only think of seven others: 286, 289, 686, 1493, 1540, 1680 and 1684 and I don't think any of them are runners at the moment.
Mustn't forget the Jinties but they aren't Hunslet design!

 

When one considers how long they were intended to last, the Hunslet Austerities (the steam loco equivalent of the chuck away lighter) haven't done half bad.

The little industrials which started the ball rolling for so many lines are so often the 'Cindarellas' of the heritage movement these days, so it's especially great news about preservation pioneer 469. No straightforward restoration this.

I look forward to seeing which incarnation, from a long working life, 469 reappears in. They've got several authentic 'looks' (not to mention a different original name) to choose from.

 

I I was a betting man, I'd be tempted to bet a king size Mars Bar (can you still get them) that, when the last fire is dropped in the last steam loco to work in this country, it will be an Austerity. However, I'm doubtful that I would be around to collect my winnings.

 

They do. They cost a wee bit more deep-fried of course!

My money would be on a 'Terrier' being the last loco of any sort to run under it's own power anywhere in the world. I've become increasingly convinced Stoudley's wonderful little evergreens would survive the apocolypse and continue, even if fired on old radial tyres (Bob knows, there are already enough of the damned things!), until the end of time itself!

 

I do remember a story from many, many years ago about an occasion in the very early days of Bluebell when Stepney had a firebox solely filled with old sleeper off cuts as there wasn't any coal available so I guess that the run on anything hypothesis is correct.

Unfortunately for poor old Stepney she ain't running on anything at the moment and is unlikely to for a considerable amount of time unless she gets reconstructed along the lines of No27.

 

I've had to fire NYMR locos on three occasions after running out of coal - no fault of mine, I hasten to add! Steaming was no problem but it needed a lot of timber!

 

The presence of the Ford diesel in the background gives a clue as to the date.[/QUOTe

The Ford diesel arrived by road from Dagenham in July 1966, and was taken to Robertsbridge to work the flour mill traffic a few years later.
Hastings had arrived in January 1964, and had been repainted in K&ESR blue livery by September 1965.
I therefore think that these photos were taken in 1966 or 1967.

 

I see Hastings has moved to Yorkshire...Has the loco changed hands?

 

In the dim and distant past of a Scottish line that shall remain nameless I recall getting the boiler of a four-coupled Barclay full enough to get back to base, using lineside fence posts for fuel....

 

Hastings (the loco) is now owned by Mike Hart. It is now at Elsecar.

Check out the locos Facebook page, see above post.
Alan