686 The Lady Armaghdale
686 in service
Built by the Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds in 1898, 0-6-0T works number 686 was delivered new to Manchester Ship Canal Company. The locomotive was originally named “St John” and later numbered No 14.
686 was withdrawn from service by the MSCManchester Ship Canal in 1962, and the following year was purchased by ICI Dyestuffs at Blackley Manchester. There the locomotive was named “The Lady Armaghdale”, a name already carried by the locomotive it replaced.
686 was withdrawn from service by ICI in 1968.
686 in preservation
686 was purchased by the Warwickshire Industrial Loco Preservation Group in 1969, arriving on the Severn Valley Railway in July of that year.
Since arrival, 686 has spent some time serving as ‘Thomas’ both on the SVRSevern Valley Railway and elsewhere, including overseas. She has also appeared in film and TV productions including The Incredible Dr. Baldick. Although not sufficiently powerful to haul service trains, 686 has from time to time acted as 'station pilot' and shunter.
1998 marked the centenary of HE 686. The locomotive began the year as a roving ‘Thomas’ and was photographed by David Cooke at the East Lancashire Railway in May of that year (see gallery). By October, 686 had been repainted in the more appropriate livery of Manchester Ship Canal No 14 and, as part of the celebrations, re-visited the East Lancashire Railway (see gallery) in the county where she first worked and the Middleton Railway in Leeds, the city where she was built.
After being withdrawn from service in September 2009, 686 has been cosmetically restored in ICI red livery, and is currently on display in The Engine House while awaiting overhaul.
686 cosmetically modified for filming in 1972 (David Cooke)
686 appearing as 'Thomas' on the ELREngineer's Line Reference, East Lancashire Railway, May 1998 (David Cooke)
686 as MSCManchester Ship Canal No 14, Buckley Wells October 1998 (David Cooke)
References and sources
Information from a display board in the Engine House and from past editions of SVRSevern Valley Railway News.
