THE Darjeeling Tank LocomotiveTrust, custodian of loco No. 19B formerly owned by the late Adrian Shooter, has received notification from the Charity Commission that its bid for charity status has been successful. The trust has been allocated charity number 1204461.
DTLT chairmanJeremy Davey said:“One aspect of the last several months that has tickled me somewhat is that while we’ve been speaking to everyone asThe DarjeelingTank Locomotive Trust, legally-speaking there was actually no such body – until written approval was received.”
The application was submitted when the project began in March, but in legal terms theTrust could not exist until the Commission was satisfied and had advised theTrustees.The Commission asked for an expert ‘statement of merit’, and Mr Davey said:“Anthony Coulls, senior curator at the National Railway Museum, nailed it for us and I just wanted to place on the record my thanks to him for doing that.”
■ Readers are reminded that No. 19B can be seen in steam, for the last time before its overhaul, at the Mortons Media readers’day from 10.30 to 15.30 at the Statfold Barn Railway nearTamworth, on October 7. Simply bring along a current copy of a Mortons railway title, pay the regular Statfold entry fee (see www. statfold.com for a full list of prices) and – subject to any unforeseen circumstances – the fascinating loco will be in steam hauling its two replica Darjeeling carriages.