CAMBRIAN Heritage Railways has welcomed a new arrival at its Oswestry terminus ahead of it opening its doors for the new running season.
The steam engine Grant Ritchie 272 is on loan from the Ribble Steam Railway and Museum in Preston and will provide the main steam attraction along the two mile of railway between Oswestry to Weston Wharf.
Number 272 was built in 1894 and was the 14th locomotive built by Grant Ritchie, and it is the manufacturer’s sole surviving 0-4-0ST.
Cambrian Heritage Railways General Manager, Andy Green, said: “We are grateful to Ribble Steam Railway and Museum for the loan of Grant Ritchie 272 for our new operating season which starts in April.
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“We operate a relatively small heritage railway operation, therefore this type of steam locomotive is an excellent addition to our fleet and I’m sure it will prove extremely popular with our visitors and staff.”
There is a 1914 built 0-4-2ST preserved at the Prestongrange Mining Museum in Scotland.
Grant Ritchie 272 was delivered new to Kinglassie Colliery Leslie in Fife and carried the running number 21.
Little appears to be known for a long period of time, as after it went to Cowdenbeath Central Workshops in 1949, to Mary Colliery Fife in 1951, back to Cowdenbeath in 1955, to Fordell Colliery in 1957, and Rothes Colliery in 1966.
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Finally it went to Thomas Muirs famous scrapyard in Easterbalbeggie on November 25 1969, where it was to be joined over the years by a further ten industrial steam locomotives, ironically including number six Andrew Barclay No 2261, which was restored to working order at Preston.
Cambrian Heritage Railways is running trains every weekend and specific mid-week and evening journeys as well as Bank Holidays from April 29 until September.
Further information can be found at: www.CambrianRailways.com
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