THE Sybil Locomotive Trust’s Bagnall 0-4-0ST 1760/1906 Sybil undertook test runs under its own power following restoration at the West Lancashire Light Railway on February 11 as part of the commissioning process. The ex-Dinorwic loco is likely to enter service later this year. THE volunteer team overhauling Ffestiniog Railway’s ALCO 2-6-2T Mountaineer at Glan y Pwll depot have removed all the tubes enabling inspection of the tube plates. The boiler has also been thickness tested, revealing the plate work is in good condition. Pending lifting of the boiler a start has been made on cleaning the frames preparatory to assessing the amount of work required.
THE Glyn Valley Tramway Trust has taken delivery at its Chirk base of the first of two ex-Royal Naval Armament Depot flat wagons it has acquired. The vehicle has been re-gauged and restored by C.J.S Engineering Ltd in Wigan following a generous sponsorship which allowed its purchase and restoration. The flat wagon joins the ex-RNAD box van delivered last November.
PRIVATELY owned Ruston &Hornsby 11/13 HP 4wDM 201970/1940 Alistair returned to operation in mid-February at the Statfold Barn Railway where it is based. Originally built for use at the Lancashire Steel Corporation’s Irlam works, it entered preservation in 1968 working on the Ffestiniog Railway’s reconstruction between Tan-y-Bwlch and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Subsequently it went to the Gartell Light Railway in 1991, then the Hayling Light Railway before arriving at Statfold in early 2021.