See LNER class J94 for details.
This locomotive is an Austerity type locomotive built for the Second World War effort by W G Bagnall in 1944. Bagnall built the locomotive as a sub-contractor to Hunslet Engine Co Ltd. Bagnall built 52 of the 377 that were built for the War Department between 1943 and 1947. This locomotive carried the number WD75170. The LNER bought some of these locomotives which became the J94 class.
The locomotive was delivered new to the Ministry of Fuel and Power at Upper Blaenavon opencast coal mine during 1944.
In November 1949 the locomotive was moved to Wernos opencast mine at Ammanfotd in Carmarthenshire. The mine had closed in 1940 but reopened as a training centre before opening again for production in 1953.
In August 1951 the locomotive was transferred to Pwll-Du opencast mine at Blaenavon and then to Glyn Neath opencast mine in Glamorgan in 1952.
The locomotive subsequently spent time at Aberperqwrm Collieryat Glyn in Neath from October 1965 until July 1967 when it was moved to Graig Merthyr Colliery at Pontardulais in Glamorgan.
By October 1969 the locomotive was out of use but in mid 1972 it was repaired at Pontardulais before moving to Graig Methyr Colliery where it was noted working from May 1973 until April 1978. By October 1978 it was to be found working at Pontardlais Colliery where it was observed in operation until December 1979.
Whilst employed by the National Coal Board the locomotive regularly lugged 200-300 tons of empties up and the fulls of anthracite coal, sometimes a lot faster than expected, down the Dulais valley on the Graig Merthyr system based at Pontardulais near Swansea. The gradient on the line included 2½ miles of 1-in-40 as well as 45-degree curves.
In November 1980 the locomotive was moved for preservation to the Gwili Railway at Bronwydd Arms in Carmarthenshire.
By February 1981 the locomotive had been moved to Leamington for static display by the Warwick District Council after an exchange of the boiler and cab with Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn Works No 7170 WD 71516. It was placed at Newbold Comyn Country Park. It was still at the country park in 1989 but by then was covered in graffiti.
The locomotive is now on static display at Cefn Coed Colliery Museum.
The museum is located near the village of Crynant in the Dulais Valley five miles north of Neath and it tells the story of coal mining at the Cefn Coed Colliery, once the deepest anthracite coal mine in the world. Cefn Coed was one of the most dangerous coalmines in Wales where many men lost their lives.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 