Locomotive No. 1800 'Thomas' 0-6-0T
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Builders: Hudswell Clarke Ltd., Leeds. Year: 1947 Number of cylinders: 2 (16" x 24"(406mm x 609mm). Boiler pressure: 160 psi. (11.25Kg/cm2) Driving wheels diameter: 3' 9"(1143mm). Weight: 41 tons 17cwt.( 42.5tonnes) Train brakes: Air / vacuum. Original owner: British Sugar Corporation, Peterborough. Current owner: Nene Valley Railway. |
Background History
The story of the design for this locomotive goes back to the First World War period, when, in 1914 Hudswell Clarke Ltd. designed a simple, but
rugged 0-6-0 tank locomotive specifically for the Port of London Authority (PLA), which then operated railways serving the Royal, Millwall and Tilbury Docks.
The initial order was for five locomotives, Hudswell Clarke giving them Works Nos. 1101 to 1105 and all five had been dispatched to PLA by 15th March 1915.
The locomotives were clearly a success as repeat orders followed from PLA, with a final total of 24, the last two being delivered to PLA as late as 1954 - nearly 40 years after the first ones! This Hudswell Clarke 'PLA' locomotive type was adopted as a standard industry design and amongst other applications 14 were built for the National Coal Board between 1948 and 1955.
Locomotive History
This Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 tank locomotive was built in 1947, with Works Number 1800 for an order for the British Sugar Corporation, Woodston, Peterborough, being delivered on 30th June 1947. Here it was to remain all its industrial working life and had the honour of being the largest in BSC's locomotive fleet. No. 1800 was in daily use during the sugar beet season pushing wagons loaded with sugar-beet fresh from the area's farms, up the steep gradients to the unloading flumes, as well as marshalling lengthy trains in BSC's extensive sidings. These sidings, were situated off the Fletton Loop ,just east of Orton Mere Station. In the late 1960s No. 1800 was replaced by a diesel locomotive for every-day duties, but was maintained in good working order by the regular driver Harry Tassell.
In 1970, the newly formed Peterborough Railway Society (later to become the Nene Valley Railway) had set up their working base in a compound within BSC's
sidings and the members attention was immediately drawn to Locomotive No. 1800. because of its even-then immaculate blue livery; they nicknamed it Thomas, Rev. W. Audry's famous children's creation, by then 23 years old and coinridentally, the same age both having been built/first published, in 1947. The 'friendly' blue locomotive was a familiar sight to BSC Open Day visitors and in 1971 the name Thomas was officially bestowed upon BSC locomotive No. 1800 by the Rev. Awdry himself, at the BSC National Sport and Family Day that year. The locomotive, now officially Thomas, continued to give visitors short brake van rides at BSC Open Days,
However, No. 1800 was regularly put back to work during the peak of BSC's annual autumn-spring sugar beet processing campaign and continued in this role until 1973, when the locomotive suffered damage to its firebox and had to be permanently taken out of use.
.
Preservation
In a generous gesture, BSC sold the locomotive to Peterborough Railway Society (who, had notionally 'adopted' Thomas anyway!) for a nominal £100. The Society stored Thomas for several years until eventually parts, including a good boiler, from a similar locomotive (No. 1844 one of the 14 Hudswells originally sold to NCB,), were purchased from NCB Whitwood Colliery, Yorkshire and the task of rebuilding by the Society engineers could begin.By 1979 Thomas was back in action again, as a major attraction at the newly-formed Nene Valley Railway at Wansford. In 1986 the BSC's Peterborough diesel shunter had failed and Thomas returned to his old home, just for one day whilst the diesel was repaired, to carry out his old duties as a shunter once again. So just as the Rev. Audry's stories tell, Thomas was first ousted from his duties by a 'modern' diesel locomotive but then had to go back to work at his old job when the diesel broke down! In the 1980s Thomas visited the Great Western Society at Didcot. So great were crowds that turned out to see the now - famous engine that the police had to be called to control the traffic. Thomas also made visits to Leicester and Cambridge to promote the Nene Valley Railway. At a BR Open day at Cambridge in September 1990, even took part in running a shuttle service under the overhead electric wires, being the first ex-industrial to do so! In the early 1990s, with its ten-year boiler certificate expired, Thomas underwent a major overhaul by NVR's Wansford engineers, but work on major items was contracted out. The wheels, for example, were reworked by a Chatham - based specialist firm, whilst the boiler work was carried out at Swindon at a cost of many thousands of pounds. During this rebuild vacuum brake equipment was fitted to the locomotive. He performed 'civic duties' in Peterborough, when called upon to participate in switching on the Christmas lights, an apt choice as Thomas is a truly local personality. At his Wansford home as many as 8,000 visitors turned out to see him on just one working weekend. On one occasion during this period Thomas left the Nene Valley Railway to visit Thomasevents at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. February 2002, another ten years on and time for another rebuild. This time, in the light of NVR Wansford Workshop staff's other commitments Thomas was sent away to 'hospital' and at a cost of nearly £100,000 (most of it for specialist boiler work, but fortunately partly met by a Heritage Lottery Grant) returned ready for work in Spring 2004, requiring its next overhaul in 2013.
The story of the design for this locomotive goes back to the First World War period, when, in 1914 Hudswell Clarke Ltd. designed a simple, but
rugged 0-6-0 tank locomotive specifically for the Port of London Authority (PLA), which then operated railways serving the Royal, Millwall and Tilbury Docks.
The initial order was for five locomotives, Hudswell Clarke giving them Works Nos. 1101 to 1105 and all five had been dispatched to PLA by 15th March 1915.
The locomotives were clearly a success as repeat orders followed from PLA, with a final total of 24, the last two being delivered to PLA as late as 1954 - nearly 40 years after the first ones! This Hudswell Clarke 'PLA' locomotive type was adopted as a standard industry design and amongst other applications 14 were built for the National Coal Board between 1948 and 1955.
Locomotive History
This Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 tank locomotive was built in 1947, with Works Number 1800 for an order for the British Sugar Corporation, Woodston, Peterborough, being delivered on 30th June 1947. Here it was to remain all its industrial working life and had the honour of being the largest in BSC's locomotive fleet. No. 1800 was in daily use during the sugar beet season pushing wagons loaded with sugar-beet fresh from the area's farms, up the steep gradients to the unloading flumes, as well as marshalling lengthy trains in BSC's extensive sidings. These sidings, were situated off the Fletton Loop ,just east of Orton Mere Station. In the late 1960s No. 1800 was replaced by a diesel locomotive for every-day duties, but was maintained in good working order by the regular driver Harry Tassell.
In 1970, the newly formed Peterborough Railway Society (later to become the Nene Valley Railway) had set up their working base in a compound within BSC's
sidings and the members attention was immediately drawn to Locomotive No. 1800. because of its even-then immaculate blue livery; they nicknamed it Thomas, Rev. W. Audry's famous children's creation, by then 23 years old and coinridentally, the same age both having been built/first published, in 1947. The 'friendly' blue locomotive was a familiar sight to BSC Open Day visitors and in 1971 the name Thomas was officially bestowed upon BSC locomotive No. 1800 by the Rev. Awdry himself, at the BSC National Sport and Family Day that year. The locomotive, now officially Thomas, continued to give visitors short brake van rides at BSC Open Days,
However, No. 1800 was regularly put back to work during the peak of BSC's annual autumn-spring sugar beet processing campaign and continued in this role until 1973, when the locomotive suffered damage to its firebox and had to be permanently taken out of use.
.
Preservation
In a generous gesture, BSC sold the locomotive to Peterborough Railway Society (who, had notionally 'adopted' Thomas anyway!) for a nominal £100. The Society stored Thomas for several years until eventually parts, including a good boiler, from a similar locomotive (No. 1844 one of the 14 Hudswells originally sold to NCB,), were purchased from NCB Whitwood Colliery, Yorkshire and the task of rebuilding by the Society engineers could begin.By 1979 Thomas was back in action again, as a major attraction at the newly-formed Nene Valley Railway at Wansford. In 1986 the BSC's Peterborough diesel shunter had failed and Thomas returned to his old home, just for one day whilst the diesel was repaired, to carry out his old duties as a shunter once again. So just as the Rev. Audry's stories tell, Thomas was first ousted from his duties by a 'modern' diesel locomotive but then had to go back to work at his old job when the diesel broke down! In the 1980s Thomas visited the Great Western Society at Didcot. So great were crowds that turned out to see the now - famous engine that the police had to be called to control the traffic. Thomas also made visits to Leicester and Cambridge to promote the Nene Valley Railway. At a BR Open day at Cambridge in September 1990, even took part in running a shuttle service under the overhead electric wires, being the first ex-industrial to do so! In the early 1990s, with its ten-year boiler certificate expired, Thomas underwent a major overhaul by NVR's Wansford engineers, but work on major items was contracted out. The wheels, for example, were reworked by a Chatham - based specialist firm, whilst the boiler work was carried out at Swindon at a cost of many thousands of pounds. During this rebuild vacuum brake equipment was fitted to the locomotive. He performed 'civic duties' in Peterborough, when called upon to participate in switching on the Christmas lights, an apt choice as Thomas is a truly local personality. At his Wansford home as many as 8,000 visitors turned out to see him on just one working weekend. On one occasion during this period Thomas left the Nene Valley Railway to visit Thomasevents at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. February 2002, another ten years on and time for another rebuild. This time, in the light of NVR Wansford Workshop staff's other commitments Thomas was sent away to 'hospital' and at a cost of nearly £100,000 (most of it for specialist boiler work, but fortunately partly met by a Heritage Lottery Grant) returned ready for work in Spring 2004, requiring its next overhaul in 2013.