LMS/British Railways Fairburn 2-6-4T 42085 on shed road 1 at Loughborough shed with 30777 on the right and the tender of 78019 just visible on the left.
42085 is on loan from the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway in Cumbria. The Great Central engineers will carry out essential repairs during its 11 month stay including replacement of the life-expired side tanks.
78019 was being prepared for a Driver Experience day. Al, the driver and ex-Saltley shed, told me that in the winter of 1962/3 Saltley took delivery of several Fairburn tanks from Derby to cover for the dmus whose fuel lines were continually freezing up in that ferocious winter. They did of course work on the GCR after the LMR takeover.
The red-leaded bunker off LNER N2 0-6-2T 69523 is seen on the left. The restoration of this engine is currently being fast-tracked and is planned to be complete by year-end.
