NEW-BUILD LMS ‘Patriot’ No. 5551 The Unknown Warrior arrived at the Midland Railway-Butterley’s Swanwick Junction on the evening of August 12, beginning the final chapter in the construction of the new Fowler 4-6-0.
The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust has been awarded the contract to complete the assembly of No. 5551 (RM August), which is now sharing space in the PRCLT’s West Shed with Stanier ‘Princess Royal’ Pacific No. 46203 Princess Margaret Rose.
Prior to reaching Derbyshire the 4-6-0 had been occupying part of the Crewe Heritage Centre site, which had become its temporary home after the LMS-Patriot Project severed its ties with the Llangollen Railway, where the project began in 2009.
The PRCLT team has wasted no time in getting stuck into the project. By late August the frames had been lifted and the wheelsets and bogie removed, together with the axleboxes for checking. It is hoped No. 5551 will steam for the first time at the MR-B sometime next year.
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