No. 6046 was built as works no.70280 by the Baldwin Locomotive Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and the locomotive was exported straight to France in 1945 to help with the war effort. Once her use with the French SNCF came to an end many S160s were scrapped though 6046 found her way to Hungary.
The S160s were classified as the MAV 411 Class by the Hungarian State Railways, and 6046 became 411.144. She spent the majority of her working life on industrial lines, before being withdrawn. She was formally preserved in the Hungarian National Collection, however due to an administrative error she was sent for scrap
Fortunately though she saved from the cutters torch after a UK Preservationist learnt of her plight, being purchased by Martin Haines, a pilot, who brought her to the UK with the intention of restoring her. She arrived into the UK complete and was sent to Tyseley where she was positioned around the turntable and restoration began.
Eventually though she was sold to Greg Wilson who moved her kit of parts to the Churnet Valley Railway, who then restarted her restoration in 2006. On 29th June 2012, 6046 was steamed and moved under own power for the first ever time on UK metals.
No. 5197 was built as works no.8856 by the Lima Locomotive Company in Ohio, USA, in June 1945. Weighing 135 tons in full working order, the locomotive was exported to China in January, 1946.
The S160s were classified as KD6 by the Chinese State Railways, and 5197 became KD6.463. She spent the majority of her working life in the Chinese Coal Industry around Fushun, before being withdrawn in the 1990s. She was saved from scrap by UK preservationist Derek Foster in 1995, who then brought her to the Llangollen Railway in North Wales where she was overhauled and returned to traffic in 1998 in USA Transportation Corps Grey livery.
In 2001, she was put up for sale and was subsequently purchased by Greg Wilson who moved her to the Churnet Valley Railway in Staffordshire. She then successfully operated for 3 years at the CVR, with guest visits to other preserved railways including Peak Rail & the Great Central Railway where she starred in the line’s Wartime Events. This period of operation also saw her painted in an unusual maroon livery for a short while.
During the winter of 2004/05 she visited Ian Riley’s works at the East Lancs Railway to have an intermediate mechanical overhaul including a full set of tyres. When she returned to Cheddleton all of her smoke tubes were replaced, and a standard ‘British’ air brake system was fitted. She re-entered service in June 2005, repainted into USATC Black.
She then operating at the CVR and other preserved lines including Swanage, East Lancs, North Norfolk, Nene Valley, Keighley & Worth Valley, West Somerset and a memorable visit to Merehead Quarry in 2008 for their Open Weekend as part of East Somerset Railway 150 year celebrations.
Diesel Locomotives
33102 “Sophie” - undergoing annual exam
33021 “Captain Charles” – in traffic
The class 33 locomotives were built at the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company works in Smethwick. 98 were built between 1960 and 1962. Fitted with a Sulzer 8 cylinder engine developing 1,550hp they were the first class of locomotive to be equipped with electric train heat from new and were also equipped with dual braking systems - vacuum and air.
Our class 33 33102 was originally numbered D6513 and in 1967 was selected as one of 19 locos of the class to be converted to 'push-pull' mode. This was to enable them to handle services over the non-electrified section of line between Bournemouth and Weymouth. She was carrying BR Blue livery by this time and then in 1973 was renumbered to 33102 under the British Rail TOPS scheme and became part of Class 33/1 - indicating a push-pull fitted loco.
She was withdrawn from mainline service in 1992, still carrying BR Blue livery, and by then had been unofficially named 'Sophie' by one of the depot staff at Eastleigh. The North Staffs Railway Diesel Group based at the Churnet Valley Railway were successful in buying her through a tendering process in 1993 and she was moved to the railway in October of that year. Following considerable restoration work including the fitting of replacement bogies she entered service on the railway in 1997.
By the end of 2009 'Sophie', now owned by the North Staffs Railway Co (1978) Ltd, was again in need of restoration and refurbishment. After a lengthy overhaul which included extensive body work, a rewire, new internal guttering and drains, replacement of cant rail grilles, complete strip down and overhaul of the compressor, new batteries and a complete repaint 33102 appeared in time for the CVR’s 2012 diesel weekend.
33021 was originally numbered D6539 and in 1974 the loco - now carrying BR Blue livery -was renumbered to 33021 under the British Rail TOPS scheme and became part of Class 33/0 - indicating a non push-pull fitted loco.
33021 was withdrawn from mainline service in 1996 but then purchased privately and overhauled. Subsequently 33021, carrying a Post Office Red type of livery, became one of the first privately owned locos to be returned to use on the mainline and was utilised for workings such as charters and special services. After a period out of use at Tyseley Depot the loco was again sold privately in late 2009, and following restoration and renovation, operated for the first time in more than 6 years in September 2010 at the Battlefield Line. Later that year the loco, now back in BR Blue livery, moved to the Churnet Valley Railway and in July 2011 was named 'Captain Charles'. The loco is currently fully operational at the railway.
47524 – stored awaiting overhaul
The British Rail Class 47 is a diesel electric locomotive developed in the 1960s by Brush Traction. A total of 512 Class 47s were built between Crewe Works and Brush Works, Loughborough.
They were fitted with a Sulzer 12LDA28C twin bank twelve cylinder power unit producing 2,750 hp - though this was later derated to 2,580 hp to improve reliability.
47524 was originally numbered D1107 and was a product of Crewe Works. It was released to traffic in December 1966. D1107 was allocated to York and remained based on the Eastern region. It became 47524 in 1974 and moved to Eastfield in Scotland in 1988 and then to Bristol in 1989 and finally to Crewe in 1991 becoming part of the parcels fleet.
On September 23rd 1995 47524 was named Res Gestae at Didcot Railway Centre by Nobby Clark, a retired TPO employee. 47524 last worked on the 26th June 1996 when it took 1F52, 02:45 vans from Crewe to Liverpool Lime Street, returning light engine to Crewe.
It was placed out of service later that day requiring attention to its exhaust system. It was later found to have high crankcase pressure and in addition has a suspect main generator bearing. The loco was withdrawn on 6th July 1996 having run for 8,202 engine hours since its last overhaul.
Bought privately in 2002 and stored at Tyseley 47524 eventually moved to the Churnet Valley in October 2005 and work commenced on the restoration in late 2006.
Brightside - Overhaul in progress.
D7672 - Tamworth Castle - stored awaiting overhaul
D2334 - out of traffic - Awaiting Repaired Gearbox
No .6 'Roger H Bennett - in traffic
Diesel Multiple Units
M50455 / E59701 / M50517 - in operation
