News

News

2009

The plans for 2009 are not clear at the time of writing, but associate members will be kept informed by means of a newsletter. In order to receive your newsletters, please see the "Friends" page.

2008

Sian ran at Windmill Farm over Easter before being transported to the R&ER for their gala. After a successful weekend at the beginning of May, Sian was invited to stay until the end of the summer season to cover for locomotives which were out of service. A speedometer of similar style to the Romney locos has been fitted which makes tracking mileage much easier. Unfortunately the season was spoiled by a derailment at Dalegarth in August which necessitated a few minor repairs. After returning to traffic briefly in the autumn, Sian has now been winterised in Ravenglass.

2007

Sian ran mainly at Windmill Farm with an outing to the RH&DR for their gala weekend. Routine maintenance only required on the locomotive.

2006

During the winter, a new chimney cap was cast in bronze to replace the old copper plated one that was wearing thin. Sian will remain at Windmill Farm this year although we are hoping to visit other railways during 2007

2005

Sian spent most of the year at Windmill Farm but also had a short stay at the Bure Valley Railway in Norfolk, the first time she had returned there since SPG bought her from there in 1994.

2004

Sian was based on the Windmill Farm Railway near Southport for all of 2004. Sian ran from Easter through to October and the highlight of the season was a re-enactment of Sian's naming ceremony, with the naming being performed by the same person, Shan Roberts, whom the engine is named after.

2003

During the 2002/2003 winter, the boiler was purged with nitrogen. This was extremely successful, with a test piece of mild steel emerging bright and shiny after a winter stored inside the boiler. This test piece corroded more in the following 24 hours than in the previous 4 months! Sian ran only at the Windmill Farm Railway during 2003. On October 18th, the WFR hosted a visit from volunteers who were at Fairbourne in the 1970s when Sian ran there. On October 25th the loco was taken out of service when a whisp of steam revealled a tiny crack in a water feed boss on the boiler. Both water feed bosses have now been cut out and new ones welded in.

2002

Sian made a gala appearance at the RH&DR in May running 123 miles over three days. Sian was able to run trains on her own - our vacuum braking system came in very handy. There were six SPG members in attendance at the weekend, and plenty of cleaning meant the loco looked immaculate. Double heading with Winston Churchill on a ten coach train saw 24mph running!