Going Loco - March 2020

FRIDAY 27 MARCH

There's nothing more quintessentially Great Western than a green pannier tank at the head of a local goods or working a short passenger train on a bucolic branch line.  While some appeared in black in GWR days, more were similarly liveried under the auspices of British Railways and several sported distinctive London Transport maroon when they were sold to that network but very few panniers appeared in blue!

Our first Going Loco blog focuses on one such rarity, 3650 which is amongst the collection Didcot. Following withdrawal in 1963, the engine was purchased by Stephenson Clarke Ltd, a private colliery operator at Gwaun-cae-Gurwen in South Wales, and painted in their distinctive blue colour, complete with bright red lettering! The guise was recreated for the loco's running in turns in 2008 after a major restoration lasting some 20 years. 

Later repainted into the more familiar green livery, the loco was a regular performer until 2016 and is currently undergoing overhaul in our workshops.

 Check the 3650 group's Facebook page for the latest updates.

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