47298 (LMS 7138, LMS 7298 and BR 47298)

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47298 was built at a cost of £3,168 by the Hunslet Engine Co Ltd. at Leeds and entered service in 1924 as 7138 but was renumbered 7298 in 1935.

It was initially allocated to Camden depot but moved on to Northampton four years later. Here it stayed until 1941 when it was transferred to Willesden. In 1942 it moved to Bletchley and this became its home until August 1954 when it moved to Sutton Oak, St Helens which was to become its final allocation before being withdrawn and sold for scrap.

Whilst at Bletchley it was renumbered 47298 following the nationalisation of the railways and the forming of BR in 1948.

I am indebted to Brian Breedon who has supplied the following details.

William Breedon, the father of Brian, was employed to drive 47298 whilst it was based at Bletchley. He was assisted by George King as Fireman and Arthur Lee as shunter. William Breedon was assigned to shunting duties following an accident in November 1941 when he slipped off the step of LMS 12086 after someone had spilt oil. The locomotive was in the process of reversing off a turntable at the time and the accident resulted in every bone in his foot being crushed. He was then unable to operate on the main line as he was unable to run and place detonators on the line in the event of a breakdown etc. This restriction appears to have been ignored during the Second World War.

Copied below is the LMS identity card for William Breedon issued to him whilst he was still a fireman.

During its life it went through nine boilers, averaging a boiler change every five or six years. Normally a repaired boiler from another Jinty was received, but in 1938 a new one was fitted. Ten assorted heavy overhauls were carried out, together with a range of light repairs. Derby did some of this work but Bow (North London) is also mentioned on two occasions.

47298 spent its final period at Sutton Oak in store having been declared surplus in 1965 but was not withdrawn from service until December 1966 when it was sold to Woodham Brothers at Barry for scrap. It arrived at Barry in June 1967 and stayed there until July 1974 when it moved to Steamport at Southport.

47298 was fully restored at Steamport in 1979 took part in the Rocket 150 in 1980 and also steamed into Southport station for a joint Steamport/British Rail Joint Exhibition in April 1980.

In 1983 47298 was moved to the Llangollen Railway. During its time at Llangollen 47298 was painted blue and ran as Thomas the Tank Engine.

In April 1988 the locomotive moved to The East Lancs Railway.

In 1996 the locomotive hauled the reopening train on the Northampton & Lamport Railway.

In 2012 it was purchased by Ian Riley and moved to the East Lancs Railway. It has not been steamed since but had previously visited the railway back in 1988 a year after the Bury to Ramsbottom section of the railway opened.

The owner had hoped to have it back in steam before the end of 2017 but later revised this to 2018.

In December 2019 it was revealed that Ian Riley was in the process of selling the locomotive. It is understood that the locomotive will be based on a private railway once the overhaul has been completed.

The locomotive arrived back at Bury shed on the East Lancs Railway in October 2020 following a swift overhaul by its previous owner. It is not known how long the locomotive will stay at the East Lancs Railway.