The ‘Jinty’ stole the show!
LMS ‘Jinty’ 0-6-0T No 47406 departs from Loughborough Central on 30 January. ROBIN JONES
The Great Central Railway’s winter steam gala has steadily grown to become one of – if not the – best events of the post-Christmas ‘close season’ – and this year it was better than ever before, reports Robin Jones...
When it’s July, and I open the bedroom windows to be greeted by an unbroken azure sky, no sign of rain and soaring temperatures, my first thought is to head for the nearest beach.
However, in late January, when you are met with much the same lighting conditions, but the temperature drops to minus two or below, there is only one place to go – especially if you are a cameraman and are hypnotised by the sight of plumes of white smoke repeatedly bellowing into the clear frosty air.
The Great Central Railway – especially if it is holding its winter steam gala.
The 29-31 January event had 'win win win' written over it from the start.
As first reported in Heritage Railway, two ‘Black Fives’ were rostered for the gala, and ended up being Bert Hitchen’s No 45231 The Sherwood Forester, and Ian Storey’s newly overhauled No 44767 George Stephenson, which made the event almost by the skin of its teeth.
Then there was Stanier mogul No 42968 from the Severn Valley Railway, and Peter Beet’s LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No 5690 Leander – which had much of its copper piping replaced by the GCR after it was found to be missing following its arrival at Quorn & Woodhouse in mid-January. Police are investigating the theft of the piping, value not known as we closed for press, and an insurance claim was being made.
From the home fleet, there was none other than BR Britannia No 70013 Oliver Cromwell, and Roger Hibbert’s Stanier 8F No 48305. This locomotive was renumbered 48476, taking the identity of a Lostock Hall engine, for the theme of the event was 'Lostock and a Few Smoking Barrels'.
However mouthwatering the prospect of these engines might be, it was a humble LMS 3F ‘Jinty’ that stole the show. Roger Hibbert’s very long-running restoration of No 47406 in Loughborough shed was completed in time for the event, and gleaming in out-of-the-box pristine finish like a Hornby model, after running its first revenue-earning train, the 9.35am to Leicester North on the Saturday, it returned for an official launch into traffic.
For the launch, GCR president Bill Ford introduced Steve Davies, the new head of the National Railway Museum, who recalled seeing ‘Jinties’ at sheds in the North West after being taken there by his granddad, a steam man. “I am probably the last-ever head of the NRM to be appointed with first-hand knowledge of BR steam,” he said.
It was Steve’s first invitation as head of the NRM to another heritage railway. Previously head of the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester, he took up his duties at York a week afterwards, on 8 February.
Steve then introduced fellow guest speaker Mike Stanier, grandson of Sir William Stanier, who talked about the role that ‘Jinties’ played on the Lickey bank as well as shunting all over the LMS network.
Finally, around an hour later than planned, the little black locomotive pulled away with its rake of four maroon coaches to turn in an impeccable performance for the rest of the gala...
LMS Stanier mogul No 42968 approaches Quorn & Woodhouse on 30 January. PAUL STRATFORD
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