Bonnie Prince Charlie was built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns in 1951. She was used by Messrs. Coral on Poole Quay for shunting the gas works, she (or should it be he) had an identical sister loco Western Pride. She was purchased for preservation by the Salisbury Steam Trust in 1969 and came to Didcot shortly afterwards where she saw a couple of periods of use before she was restored again for the 1985 season. In that year I remember her pulling Blue Peter out of one of the shed roads at Didcot, against an unhelpful curve and gradient. In recent years she has been painted blue and been fitted with a vacuum brake and has seen use on passenger duty. This actually makes quite an interesting sight as the engine is that much smaller than the auto coach she normally hauls. It's quite interesting for the driver as well, as you have to lean out a fair way to see round the coach when propelling.

The engine has recently been overhauled by a member of the staff at Didcot. She is an interesting engine to crew at Didcot, her power to weight ratio is over in the power department thus making her quite able to haul heavy loads, as long as the rails are dry or the driver is very careful!

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