THE FURNESS RAILWAY TRUST

Britain's oldest working steam locomotive is a popular visitor at the famous Beamish open air museum in County Durham.

FR No. 20 made its first visit in the autumn of 2008 during its North East tour along with appearances at Locomotion and the Tanfield Railway. Back then, FR 20 operated demonstration passenger and freight services in tandem with another visitor, 1870s vintage well tank "Bellerophon".

Now, the running line has been upgraded to passenger-carrying standards, giving people the chance to ride in the train rather than just watch it.

Beamish secured a return visit of FR20 in June and July 2010. This allowed the 1863 veteran to team up with another FRT stablemate - the Trust's former Royal Saloon Great Eastern Railway Number 5, which is on a year-long hire to Beamish. The provided passenger trains every weekend, carrying hundreds of passengers.

The demonstration line leaves the delightfully recreated Rowley station and heads uphill behind the Town at Beamish, curving sharply to the right and ending up alongside the tramway at the far side of the recreated Town area of the Museum. The train is then propelled back down the gradient to the station. This video shows the view from the footplate as the locomotive heads under the footbridge out of the station, and starts the ascent of the bank.

Trains operated as required, and it was normal for the engine and carriage to make 25 round trips in an operating day, only pausing for a few minutes to allow on coach-load of passengers to disembark and another to take their seats before heading off again!

This photograph was taken at the summit of the line, at the far end just before steam is shut off at the end of the outward journey.

Beamish Museum were very complimentary about the visitor, describing FR20's departure as a "sad farewell" to a "wonderful" and "beautiful" loco.

FR 20 left Beamish after the final steaming on August 1st, to move on to the Bluebell Railway's landmark gala marking 50 years of standard gauge railway preservation.