Ex L.M.S. 0-6-0 Class 3F, built by Hunslet of Leeds, entered traffic as Nº 7138 in December 1924. It spent its first two years of life allocated to Camden L.N.W.R. shed. By February 1926 Nº 7138 had been transferred to Northampton, principally for trip working in the area, although it also worked short distances freight trains. These ranged as far as Rugby, Bletchley and Bedford.
By 1942 the locomotive had been re-numbered as Nº 7298 and transferred to Bletchley, where it stayed until August 1954, when it travelled north to Sutton Oak shed at St. Helens in Lancashire and thus ending a thirty year association with the area.
With the influx of new diesel locomotives, BR Nº 47298 was declared redundant in December 1966 and put to store. It was later sold for scrap and found its way to the famous Barry scrap yard of Woodhams Bros. After languishing in the salty air for seven years, the loco was sold for preservation and moved to Steamport at Southport, where is was restored to working order in approximately five years.
The highlight of Nº 47298s career in preservation was when it took part in the Rainhill Cavalcade to celebrate 150 years of railways. During this period it acted as shed pilot at Bold Colliery, shunting the exhibits.
In 1983 the "Jinty" was moved to Llangollen, but had also worked for a period of time on the East Lancs Railway. So as you can see, you couldn't ask for better credentials for a visiting locomotive.
Based on a Midland Railway design of 1899, the '3F' or 'Jinty' 0-6-0 tank engines were all built for the London Midland & Scottish Railway, and they eventually numbered almost 420. They could be found at many stations and in good years all over what became the London Midland Region of BR, often simmering away in bay platforms or busying themselves as station pilots, undertaking many of the duties which were to continue with their successors, the class '08' diesel electric 0-6-0s.
47298 south of Pitsford Road Easter 1996.
| Builder | Hunslet of Leeds |
|---|---|
| Origin | LMS |
| Built | December 1924 |
| Class | 3F |
| Works Nº | 7138 & 7298 |
| BR Nº | 47298 |
| Type | Tank |
| Wheel Arrangement | 0-6-0 |
| Driving Wheel Diameter | 4" 7' |
| Tank Capacity | - |
| Boiler Pressure | - |
| Cylinders | Two (inside) 18" x 26" |
| Weight | - |
| Tractive effort | 20,000 lbs. |
| Number built | around 420 |
| Made Redundant | 1966 |
| Current Home | Llangollen Railway |
| Loaned to NLR | Spring 1996 |
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Last Amended: 14-Feb-2006
Copyright © Northampton & Lamport Railway 1996-2006