THE Heritage Shunters Trust has launched a £15,000 appeal to bring back a Class 04 shunter from Italy.
A supporter has already agreed to fund the purchase price of the locomotive, D2289, but extra money is now needed for transport costs.
Isle of Sheppey company Shipbreaking (Queenborough) exported around 15 redundant Class 03, 04, 06 and 07 shunters to industrial buyers in Italy in the early seventies, including D2289, when went to the continent in April 1972.
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It was bought by the Acciaierie di Lonato SpA, Lonato steel works in Brescia, and was still being used as recently as October 2009.
The steelworks has since become a sugar warehouse and although D2289 was stored there, it was no longer in use.
Read more in Issue 241 of HR – on sale now!
