Something old, something new, something borrowed..

...but nothing blue.

The railway took delivery of a new locomotive on loan today, No. 6880 'Betton Grange', which will be staying until early November.  You could be forgiven for thinking this is an old engine but it is actually a 'new build' which only steamed for the first time on 11th April 2024.  The engine was built using an old existing boiler from the scrapped engine 'Willington Hall' and has borrowed one or two components on long term loan from other engines that have no current restoration plan, whilst the frames, cylinders and cab are all brand new.  It has largely been built by volunteers and has taken over 20 years from inception of the project, partly because of the need to raise funds.  As an example of costs, the Society bought the boiler for £1, but it cost them over £250k to restore it!

The construction started in Llangollen but part way through moved to Tyseley in Birmingham.  I spoke to one lady volunteer who had come across with the engine and who proudly said that she was responsible for all of the black paintwork on the wheels and cylinders below the frames.  I was there to watch it lowered down from the trailer onto the track and am looking forward to seeing it run in a week or so when it has been tested and fired up.  Construction of the original 'Grange' class of engines (none of which survive) was halted by the start of the war in 1939 but had it continued the next to have been built would have been 6880 'Bretton Grange', so that name and number have been adopted.

I've added an extra; a tender moment.  The tender arrived at the railway late last night but couldn't be unloaded until after the engine arrived.