THE Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway’s Caledonian Reunion gala on November 3-4 was, as the name suggests, primarily concerned with the uniting of Caledonian Railway 0-6-0 No. 828 and 0-4-4T No. 419 for the first time (see p68).
However, the line’s working fleet of ex-industrial locos were not to be left out.
Neilson, Reid 0-6-0T No. 1 Lord Roberts (5710/1899) was one of two former National Coal Board six-coupled machines sharing duties with the Caledonian pair.
The former Coltness Iron Company locomotive even tried to get in on the ‘Caley Blue’ theme, although its ‘Thomas’ livery did not quite match the elegance of the McIntosh-designed duo.
The other ex-NCB loco in action in full-line use was ex-Comrie Colliery Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST Fife Area No. 19 (3818/1954).
The Lempor exhaust-fitted loco was a comparative youngster, having been built some 43 years after the youngest of the other three.
A fifth loco – former United Collieries /NCB Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 6 (2043/1937) – was also in service, busying itself as Bo’ness station pilot throughout the weekend.
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