This locomotive was built by W G Bagnall in 1953 to work for the National Coal Board (NCB) North Staffordshire Area where it was employed on a 2 mile long, steeply graded line from Florence Colliery to a washery and BR main line connection at Trentham. It left the Castle Engine Works in Stafford in January 1954, and joined an identical locomotive (Florence No1) at Florence that had also arrived new in 1950
A Giesel ejector with its characteristic rectangular tapered chimney was fitted to the locomotive in April 1962 to improve steaming. Diesels took over the operation of the line in 1968.
Florence No1 was scrapped in 1971 but Florence No2 remained spare locomotive for several years.
In January 1975 it was moved to the NCB Cadley Hill Colliery, part of the South Midlands Area.
Cadley Hill Colliery at Swadlincote in South Derbyshire was one of the last places where steam locomotives were employed. Six locomotives that worked there have been preserved.
- Bagnall – Works Nos 3059 and 3061
- Hunslet – Works Nos 2857, 3851 and 3889
- Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn – Works No 7298
The NCB loaned the locomotive to the Battlefield Line Railway when the railway was in need of further motive power for its passenger trains, and it arrived there for preservation in May 1978. It was put into store some time later when it required heavy boiler repairs.
Ownership of the locomotive eventually passed to the Battlefield Railway but without the resources to undertake the restoration work it remained on static display at Shackerstone station.
A Foxfield Railway member offered to buy it to bring it back home to North Staffordshire and it was moved to the Foxfield Railway in 2000. It has subsequently undergone a restoration programme and returned to steam.
It was withdrawn from service in 2015 and placed in store on the Foxfield Railway whilst it awaits an overhaul.
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 