THE FURNESS RAILWAY TRUST

Welcome to the section of the website devoted to the oldest working standard gauge steam locomotive in Britain! Furness Railway Number 20 is having a busy 2010!

FR 20 is back at Locomotion - the National Railway Museum at Shildon in County Durham, the birthplace of the railway having had three months away. Having starred at the double track of the Great Central Railway at Loughborough, and revisited the renowned Beamish museum in County Durham to haul the FRT's former Royal Saloon, it then made the very long trip south to the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex.

The Bluebell is Britain's oldest standard gauge heritage railway, and to mark its half century, it held a very special gala in early August. A poll of Bluebell crews revealed that Furness Railway Number 20 was their first choice for a visiting loco --- and we were very happy to oblige!

The gala was also due to feature Britain's youngest working steam locomotive - headline grabbing new build A1 Pacific "Tornado" but sadly this engine did not make it due to boiler problems. So the pairing of the oldest and youngest working steam engines in the country that was enacted at Locomotion back in May - where this "getting to know each other" photo was arranged - wasn't repeated...

Instead FR20 became the sole star turn, hauling the first scheduled passenger services north out of Kingscote on the as-yet only partly completed extension to East Grinstead. An intensive timetable saw FR 20 and an observation coach shuttling backwards and forwards all day on Friday 6th to Sunday 8th August inclusive.

The following week saw three further steamings running the whole line of the Bluebell Railway including a photo charter.

Now FR20 is back at Locomotion to resume its role as operational locomotive in residence, regularly hauling passenger trains on the museum's 2/3 mile running line.

Click here to see planned steaming dates at Locomotion, but please note these are subject to change and you should check with Locomotion before travelling.

FR 20 drew the crowds at the Locomotion steam gala in September 2009, appearing alongside "Oliver Cromwell" - the "Britannia" class Pacific that hauled the last steam train on British Railways in 1968. It was the first time that BR's last engine has come face to face with Britain's oldest working locomotive. But even without the "Brit" there on the Saturday, there were queues to ride behind No. 20 when it took its turn on the museum's running line. Visitor numbers to the gala weekend were up by almost 50% on 2008!

The Trust is delighted and honoured that FR No. 20 has been invited back to this NRM site, having starred in Locomotion's Steam Gala in September 2008 as part of a highly successful tour of the North East. This hire agreement was the first step in the Trust's plans to relocate its assets away from the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway and to establish a museum and workshop.

The locomotive was returned to action, after its first heavy overhaul in preservation, in July 2008. Every ten years locomotive boilers must be removed and examined by the boiler inspector. See the photo-gallery charting the progress of the overhaul. The locomotive was put back together, and approved for another ten years' service, in time for the engine to return to traffic for its final series of Victorian Evening specials on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway in August 2008.

It appeared in the L&HR's 2007 Steam Gala, alongside Trust stablemate 5643 - the first time the two engines have appeared in action together.

The rare chance of a smokebox to smokebox picture was made possible by 5643 running facing downhill - unusual on the L&HR when all engines normally face uphill towards Lakeside.

For a decade its starring role was the annual summer season of Victorian Evening specials. Passengers enjoyed a night out with Furness Railway Number 20 and the Trust's Victorian North London Railway 2nd Class Coach - plus a cruise on the 1891 Furness Railway-built Windermere lake steamer MV Tern. During the 2004 season an amazing photo of the Victorian engine and train was taken using a Victorian camera.

It has also paired up with former Millom Ironworks Barclay 0-4-0ST "David" at the various gala weekends organised at the LHR - the pair are seen storming out of Newby Bridge during one such event.

This website has an up to the minute guide to where FR Number 20 is, and what it's up to.

Furness Railway Number 20