Diesel-electric shunting engine moved from Rutland to Buckinghamshire

A Yorkshire Engine Company 0-6-0 diesel-electric shunting engine has been moved from Rocks by Rail in Rutland to a new home at The [1] Railway Centre at Quainton Road near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. The move of shunting engine No.

1382 took place last Monday, 17th. No.

1382 was built by The Yorkshire Engine Company at its Meadowhall works in Sheffield in 1962 and was delivered with a works number of 2872. It is powered by a Rolls Royce six-cylinder C6SFL engine driving a BTH generator that provides 600V to a BTH traction motor.

1382 offloading at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre // Credit: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre 1382 offloading at [2] // Credit: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

When new, it was initially used by United Steel Companies Ltd on shunting duties at Colsterworth Ironstone quarry, not far from its previous home at Rocks by Rail at Cottesmore near Oakham in Rutland. Colsterworth quarry closed in 1973, and No.

1382 was transferred for continued use on shunting duties to the Normanby Park site at Scunthorpe steelworks. It was withdrawn service in 1981 and, still in full working order, was secured for preservation. Much of its time in preservation has been at Rocks by Rail, but time took its toll so that by 2014 the engine was in a sorry state.

The following year, 1382 was moved to the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society where it was completely overhauled.

1382 at the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society. // Credit: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre 1382 at the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society. // Credit: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

By 2019, its overhaul had been completed with a colour scheme that reflects its working days at Colsterworth Ironstone quarry.

With 1382 fully operational once more, it was transferred back from the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society to Rocks by Rail, where it could be seen on quarry days shunting ore wagons in the simulated quarry.

Rocks by Rail is currently in the process of restoring a locomotive[3] that effectively became a prisoner of war whilst working at the Royal Navy Dockyard in Singapore when, on the 15th of February 1942, the locomotive alongside 80,000 allied servicemen was captured by the Japanese upon the Fall of Singapore.

1382 being overhauled at the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society. // Credit: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre 1382 being overhauled at the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society. // Credit: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

Rocks by Rail is also fortunate in receiving accreditation from the Arts Council as that not only opens up funding opportunities, but provides access to professional advice and support.[4]

References

  1. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  2. ^ (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  3. ^ in the process of restoring a locomotive (www.railadvent.co.uk)
  4. ^ accreditation from the Arts Council (www.railadvent.co.uk)