A very generous anonymous donation of £200,000 has given a welcome boost to the restoration of one of the Railway’s best-known steam locomotives.
Thanks to this support, work is now underway on No. 5775, allowing the engine to move up the restoration queue and begin its long-awaited return to steam.
Built in 1929 at the Great Western Railway’s Swindon Works, No. 5775 will be familiar to many as one of the stars of the 1970 film The Railway Children.
A well-travelled engine
Before finding a home in the Worth Valley, this six-wheeled Pannier Tank spent its working life shunting and hauling trains across South Wales on the Great Western Railway. It was withdrawn from British Railways service in 1963, but that wasn’t the end of the story.
The locomotive went on to work for London Transport, where it became L89, hauling engineering and maintenance trains on the Underground. When it returns to service on the KWVR, it will once again wear London Transport maroon and carry its final running number.
From film star to preservation
No. 5775 arrived on the KWVR in 1970, the same year it appeared in The Railway Children. For the film, it was painted in the fictional GN&SR – Great Northern & Southern Railway livery, making it instantly recognisable to generations of visitors.
After almost 30 years of service on the railway, the locomotive was withdrawn in 1999 for a major overhaul and placed into storage at Oxenhope Station. In 2022, it returned to Haworth for assessment ahead of restoration.
Work under way
Restoration is now progressing steadily. The boiler has been sent to Riley and Sons in Bury for specialist work, while the wheels have been re-tyred and repainted. The axle boxes are currently with the Severn Valley Railway at Bridgnorth for overhaul.
A pattern has also been produced for a new cylinder block, with the new casting expected to be completed in early 2026.
Thank you
Fran Hartley, co-leader of the 5775 restoration project, said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to the donor for their generosity, which has allowed us to get this historic locomotive’s restoration under way.
“While the major components are being worked on, our volunteers are busy cleaning, painting and refurbishing parts and fittings ready for reassembly.”
