This locomotive was built by E Borrows & Sons in 1909, as one of around twenty similar engines, for Pilkintons at St Helens where it worked until 1961.
The locomotive was saved from scrap in 1961 and was one of the earliest locomotives to go into preservation. Windle (as Fred) featured in a children’s TV programme ‘Fred The Fugitive Engine’ which was shown on Channel 4 in 1990.
In December 2010 the locomotive was moved from the Middleton Railway to the Ribble Steam Railway at Preston. Although it had been saved for preservation as early as 1961 by this time it had only operated for ten years.
It was reported in 2016 that stripping the locomotive down as the first stage in its overhaul had started at the Ribble Steam Railway.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 