Stanier Mogul Fund
The StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 MogulLocomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration Fund describe themselves as the "proud custodians of London Midland and Scottish Railway 'StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 MogulLocomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration' steam locomotive No 13268 (subsequently renumbered 2968, then 42968), built in 1934 at Crewe Works to the design of Sir William StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944."[1]
History
LMS Stanier Mogul 13268 was one of 40 members of the class, arguably the first locomotive design by William StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 (later Sir William) following his appointment the LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway's new Chief Mechanical Engineer. It entered service in 1934 and was withdrawn in 1966, then numbered 42968. By the time it was noted at Barry in 1969, the other members of the class had all been scrapped.[2]
A group of SVRSevern Valley Railway members became interested in saving the locomotive, and established a Fund in 1970 to purchase and restore it.[3] Fund raising began, and the locomotive was purchased at a cost of £3,575 in September 1973 with the aid of a £500 loan and £350 overdraft (the latter quickly repaid). The locomotive was moved by rail to the SVRSevern Valley Railway on 14 December 1973 at a cost of a further £731.[4]
Restoration began at Bridgnorth MPD following a move there in July 1974. At the time, SVRSevern Valley Railway News reported the SMF's optimistic estimate that this would take around three years and cost around £3,000.[5] In the event, the locomotive moved for the first time under its own steam in November 1990, the total restoration cost being in the order of six figures.[1] Fund raising was helped by a raffle organised by the SVRA North West Branch in 1973,[6] and the "Steam Snacks" SVRA raffle in spring 1987.[7]
The locomotive was re-tyred in 1994 at a total cost of more than £15,000, helped by the autumn 1993 "Tyre a MogulLocomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration in 1994" raffle organised by the SVR Macclesfield Branch which raised over £4,000 net. It ran as LMSLondon Midland & Scottish Railway 2968 until being withdrawn in 1998. In 2001 the SMF produced "A Pictorial History of 2968 The Mighty MogulLocomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration". This includes comprehensive reports and pictures of the locomotive's main line tours. Copies of this publication may still be available from the SMF's sales stand or other second hand sales shops.
2968 The Mighty MogulLocomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration (SMF publication)
The SMF oversaw an overhaul which saw the locomotive return to traffic as 42968 between 2003 and 2013. During the overhaul, it had been the SMF's intention to return to the main line. However a number of obstacles arose:
- EWSEnglish, Welsh & Scottish Railway, a rail freight company decided that they would only operate air brake fitted trains; the fitting of air braking to 42968 was ruled out on cost grounds.
- Issues had been found with the TPWS equipment fitted to other mainline locos. The SMF authorised the necessary repair work and advertised runs over the Cambrian Coast line in October 2004. However RESCO[note 1] were unable to provide staff to carry out the necessary certification in time.
- Further runs were planned for March 2005. RESCO then decided that a full survey of the locomotive would be necessary at a cost of £12,495 plus VAT as the original registration from the first period of mainline running had not been maintained 'for some unknown reason'.
Faced with this additional expenditure, as well as the possibility of further costs being required to achieve re-certification, the SMF reluctantly decided that 'enough was enough'.[8]
42968 passing Highley, September 2009
A further overhaul began in 2014, although the Fund was unable to mark its Golden Jubilee in 2020 with the usual 'special train' due to the 2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Fund finally celebrated by organising an 'SMF 50 Golden Jubilee' charter train on Saturday 30 October 2021. The train comprised a set of six GWRGreat Western Railway coaches hauled by LMS Ivatt Mogul 43106, the Fund's own mogul still being in course of overhaul.[9] The locomotive successfully moved under its own power in October 2023 and was commissioned as No 2968 in unlined black. On 21 October 2023 it travelled light engine to Kidderminster to coincide with the SMF's AGM. A repaint into its original lined livery and original number 13268 then took place in early 2024,[10] which was completed in time for a debut at that year's Spring Steam Gala.
2968 at Kidderminster, 21 October 2023
13268 at Bewdley, 19 April 2024
Current status
The Fund is an unincorporated association with membership available by purchasing shares and payment of a monthly donation. Its website states 'We are a dynamic membership of around 700'. With a view to the future, it introduced in 2017 a 'Young Members' Scheme for those aged under 30.[1]
The Fund has successfully planned ahead for the locomotive’s maintenance requirements and holds working parties at the SVRSevern Valley Railway for maintenance, repair and overhaul work. It also makes provisions for the financing of overhauls and is planning for the locomotive's future requirements, with the ambition that it can be in traffic for its Centenary in 2034.
It publishes a 'StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 MogulLocomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration Fund News' magazine twice a year and operates an online Members' Portal with news and historical information. It collates photographs and other material of the engine and its classmates, with an archive of more than 20,000 sightings of StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 Moguls and 2,000 photographs.
The Stanier Mogul Fund sales stand operates, typically on special events and summer Saturdays. It was until 2022 usually located on the concourse of Kidderminster Town station. It is now more often found in Kidderminster Railway Museum.
The fund also is a minor shareholder of Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) PLC.[11]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 SMF Web site
- ↑ SMF Web site
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 21, p.14., StanierWilliam Stanier, Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway 1932-1944 MogulLocomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel configuration Fund; the scheme to preserve ex-LMSR 2-6-0 no 42968, David Montgomery
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 30, p.14.
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 33
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 29, 30
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 83
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 153
- ↑ Branch Lines November 2021
- ↑ SMF Paint Shop Update, March 2024
- ↑ Full list of shareholders at 24 June 2024
Notes
- ↑ RESCO (Railways) Ltd. was an accrediting rail vehicle engineering consultancy and 'the heritage movement's accreditation body of choice' to carry out necessary main line Engineering Acceptance Certification. It went into administration in 2009 and ended operations the following year.
