On Friday 22nd June MNR offers “Steam Experience” driving courses, using 78019. For more details please the MNR steam web page at http://www.mnr.org.uk/calendar/events/steam/
MNR is an up and coming player in the Steam Preservation World. Its 11 mile route between Dereham and Wymondham Abbey Station, taxes a locomotive and its crew with 22 miles of up and down gradients, level crossings and a signalled passing loop; making it a very interesting journey for our “Driver Experience” visitors.
During the weekend of 23/24th of June 2012, 78019 will join with ex-GWR design Pannier Tank locomotive 9466 in the MNR’s 1960s Special Event.
78019 is owned is by the Loughborough Standard Locomotive Group, to whom and Martyn Ashworth and the Great Central Railway, the MNR is very grateful.
A brief history of 78019
The BR Standard Class 2 moguls are a direct development of an earlier LMS “Ivatt” design.
Completed at Darlington in March 1954, 78019 was initially based at Kirkby Stephen, and spent six years working the lines through the Pennines, gradually moving south, spending time at Wigan Springs Branch, Northwich and Willesden in London, before heading north to Nuneaton, and finally Crewe South shed.
Withdrawal was in November 1966, and the engine was moved to Barry scrapyard early the following year.
The engine spent six years at Barry, before purchase by a member of the Severn Valley Railway. However other priorities prevented the SVR restoring the engine.
In 1998 the engine, was moved to the GCR for restoration.
With a relatively light wheel loading upon 5’ diameter wheels, the “78” series engines, as their LMS Ivatt forebears, were ideal for undulating country routes where bridge loading restrictions prevented larger locomotives from running. Further details of the “78” series can easily be recovered from eg. “Wikipedia”.
