Last fully operational Crewe-built LNWR steam train to arrive in town this month
The last fully operational Crewe-built LNWR steam locomotive is set to arrive in the town later this month, as part of the Crewe Works 180th anniversary exhibition.
Engine No 1054 Coal Tank, will arrive at Crewe Heritage Centre on Monday 21 August, expecting to become a star attraction to visitors.
From a Crewe design originating from 1873, the 'Coal Tanks', as they were known, were introduced on the London & North Western Railway in 1881.
Engine No 1054 was the 250th example (of a total of 300) of this class, and was constructed at Crewe Works in 1888.
The locomotive will be on loan from the Bahamas Locomotive Society.
The Forging History exhibition celebrates the 180th anniversary of the Grand Junction Railway Engineering Works moving from Edge Hill to Crewe.
This exhibitions runs from Saturday 1 July until Sunday 10 September.
Chairman of Bahamas Locomotive Society, Keith Whitmore, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have been invited to participate in this event to mark the 180th anniversary and to display this 1888 built loco back in the town where it was built.
"The Coal Tank is the only operational LNWR loco in preservation and can be seen in operation at its home on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and at other railways as well.
"In September the loco can be seen in steam in South Wales where the loco worked for many years at the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway for their 40th-anniversary celebrations.
"Crewe Heritage Centre and Crewe Town Council should be really proud to be able to mount such a significant event."
The engine worked for 50 years on vital local services hauling coal, goods and passengers in across the country.
Due to be scrapped in 1939, it was saved to help in the War effort and went on to survive another 20 years until it was earmarked for scrapping in November 1958.
From there, the engine achieved celebrity status when it helped haul the last train between Abergavenny and Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.
As a result, a fund was set up to buy and preserve the engine and after six months of fundraising enough money was raised to buy the engine – the first locomotive to be preserved in this way.
The Bahamas Society has authentically restored the engine and maintained it in working order.
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