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WELCOME
TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE TERRIER TRUST |
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Sutton in Birmingham by Michael WoodhouseFirst
published in issue 51 of The Tenterden Terrier Spring
1990 In the early 1980s I used to share a house with Donald Wilson, then the K&ESR Commercial Director. Of course, there was no choice but to join up as a member of the K&ESR but, due to my heavy commitments at Tyseley, it was not possible to volunteer. Nevertheless, I did find myself taking the occasional “Wealden Pullman” booking on the telephone and, one winter, Donald came back with a boot load of toys and wrapping paper… So, the scene was set for locomotive exchanges. Constantly, over breakfast, Donald suggested it would be a good idea to send a Tyseley Pannier Tank down to Rolvenden for a season. I always countered by saying that we only had one but when the second Pannier Tank had been restored then we would think about it. It only took Donald a couple of days after he heard 7760 had joined 7752 in service at Tyseley to insist that one of the engines came to Rolvenden. Everything went well and it was a joy to hear 7752 barking up Tenterden Bank with five coaches after only having had a yard to shunt in for nearly ten years. I even came down with my overalls and had a trip on the shovel. The K&ESR graciously agreed to lend us the Terrier in return. I do not think one had ever been so far North before. In 1989 we took up the loan. When “Sutton” arrived we steamed it specially for a members club night and had by far the largest turnout of members ever – 120 I think, to come and have a ride on the first steaming. “Sutton” proved to be a popular little engine and spent many Sunday afternoons running back and forth on the old line with the replica GWR Wooden Halt and, since August, on our new two platformed line past our restored Great Western signal box and signals, the incline at the north end of the Museum bringing sharp exhausts from the chimney. “Sutton” featured in most of the 1989 events at Tyseley and starred at our “King and Castles” weekend, hauling the passenger train in conjunction with “King Edward I”. “Sutton” also featured hauling the Ghost Train at Hallowe’en. I wonder if the K&ESR would appreciate the pumpkins and the mask which the engine carried that day? “Sutton was admired by all and liked by our operating staff who found her easy to handle. It was also splendid to hear the Westinghouse Brake Pump in action which was a strange noise in Birmingham. Everyone was anxious to “have a go” on the regulator or the shovel and even David Ward, the BR InterCity Charter Trains Manager who came up for a visit to discuss main line operation, had a drive for a trip or two pronouncing it a “splendid little engine”. |
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No. 1050480 |
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“Sutton” shared the shed with many larger engines and spent several days in the company of “Kolhapur”, “Clun Castle”, “Defiant”, “King Edward I” and “Scots Guardsman” all on the main line certified list and, although Tyseley is connected to the BR main line, sadly it was not possible to take “Sutton” out on to foreign metals. May be one day! Other smaller interesting engines which shared the shed with “Sutton” were our “Cadbury” No.1 Side Tank, the National Railway Museum’s “Cornwall” and “Henry” the Museum’s oldest engine, being built as recently as 1901 and the mascot of our very popular and rapidly growing children’s club. “Sutton” has also seen the Mainline ‘heritage’ diesel fleet, sprinters and various modern BR diesels including the Merry Go Round Coal Hoppers on their way to Didcot. The pace of life around Birmingham must have meant a very different holiday for this olive green engine.
We
are delighted to have had “Sutton” at Tyseley. Throughout
her stay she only needed routine maintenance which shows that the Rolvenden
works know their job well. The exchange of the two engines has been very
satisfactory from the point of view of both organisations and we hope
that there will be many more to come. Many thanks for the loan of “Sutton”.
- E N D -
Footnotes:-
The concept and origination of Santa Specials is regarded as the brainchild of Donald Wilson for which almost every heritage line in the country owes him unqualified and unreserved gratitude. Whilst the scale of contribution to overall budget may vary, the actual turnover provides much needed revenue in the deep mid winter. Donald continues to act as main buyer for Christmas presents on the K&ESR, making the job for Father Christmas and his helpers just that little bit easier
Without a doubt, the visit of “Sutton” to Tyseley was one of its finest moments in preservation, along with all the various official extensions of the K&ESR at which it starred. Nowadays she is the subject of what is likely to be a very long and painstaking renovation on the Spa Valley Railway at Tunbridge Wells
There often seems to be a warped pre-occupation with how far Terriers have progressed north. To date, Inverness holds claim to the record – just a bit further than Birmingham!
HN-14/03/2006