Big Jim, The Home Guard Flyer

Big Jim, USA S160 , is returning to service as BR Black no. 95820 for a short time, beginning with our local preserved railway’s (Keighley and Worth Valley Railway) Winter Steam Spectacular, Friday 07 to Sunday 09 March. Big Jim will be wearing the fictitious British Railways livery for a short time only, and today I was lucky enough to be able to photograph ‘him’ as he made a brief appearance in advance of his official debut in March. The US Army Transportation Corps locos S160 Class is a class of 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotive designed for use in Europe during World War 11 for heavy freight work, which is why today it was sporting a board at the back of the tender proclaiming it as ‘The Home Guard Flyer’. A total of 2120 were built and worked on railroads across the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

More photos here - www.flickr.com/photos/chrysanthemum2013/sets/72157641072131935/