The complete steam news magazine

Pilling Pig guards old sty

In 1872, after well over a year of almost continuous use, the solitary locomotive broke down. This caused a suspension of service, which in turn led to the company being in rent arrears. The locomotive was repossessed, and for the next three years only occasional horse-drawn trains were run. Goods services resumed on 23 February 1875 using a new engine. Passenger services followed on 17 April 1875. A replacement engine, Farmer's Friend, was acquired in December of that year. It became known locally as the Pilling Pig on account of the squeal made by its whistle. Subsequently this name was given to all engines and was often used to refer to the railway itself. In 1898, a separate Knott End Railway Company was incorporated, to extend the line from Pilling to Knott End. The four and a half mile extension was opened on 29 July 1908 and the KER took over the Garstang and Knot-End Railway.

At the 1923 grouping, the KER was the smallest constituent of the lms.

The line continued to be used for goods, but the Pilling to Knott End stretch was closed on 13 November 1950; almost all of the line closed on 31 July 1963.

A locomotive now stands at the entrance to the Fold House caravan park at Pilling, in the form of ex-NCB Mountain Ash Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No 1885 of 1955. It took three days to be transported to the site by road in 2001, was lifted into position over the trees and then restored and named Pilling Pig.

BRIAN SHARPE