This locomotive was built in 1948 by the Hunslet Engine Company to the design used to supply to the Ministry of Defence and is thus regarded as an Austerity type locomotive.
See LNER class J94 for details.
It was the first steam locomotive supplied to the National Coal Board (NCB) No 2 (Mid-East Durham) Area after the nationalisation of the coal industry in January 1947.
It was built to a modified loading gauge which resulted in the rounded-cab to enable it to work down the narrow-bored tunnel to Lambton Drops (coal staithes) at Sunderland.
Its career with the NCB can be summarised as follows.
- Delivered new to Lampton Railway locomotive shed at Philadelphia
- Moved to Hetton-le-Hole in 1957
- Back to Philadelphia in 1960
- In March 1962 it was fitted with a Hill-Bigwood mechanical stoker
- In September 1962 it was hired to No 6 Area at Springwood Bank Foot shed
- In October 1962 it was hired to No 3 Area at Sherburn Hill Colliery
- In March 1963 it was hired to Area 3 at Blackhall Colliery
- In April 1965 it returned again to Philadelphia
- In June 1965 the northern half of No2 Area (Mid-East Durham) merged with No 1 Area (South-East Durham)
- In July the locomotive was purchased by No 3 Area by No 1 Area (South-East Durham)
- In July 1965 it moved to Dawdon Colliery. No3 Area (South-East Durham) merged with No4 Area (South-West Durham) and the combined area was called South Durham Area from March 1967.
- In July 1967 it had the mechanical stoker removed at Lampton Engine Works
- In February 1968 it returned to Dawdon Colliery.
- In 1st April 1974 it was taken out of normal service and regarded as a standby in case of
The locomotive has operated on the Strathspey Railway in the past but has been out of service for a number of years.
After being out of service for twenty years it was moved to the Hescott works of Ian Storey in Northumberland for heavy repairs and a full overhaul.
The overhaul is scheduled to be finished in time to enable the locomotive to go into service on the Aln Valley Railway in May 2018. The locomotive will remain on the Aln Valley Railway for six months after which it will be offered for hire to other railways.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 