 |
The former British Railway Standard Class 5MT 4-6-0 locomotive no. 73129, now based at the Midland Railway at Butterley, is the sole survivor of the last batch of 30 steam locomotives to be built at Derby Locomotive Works and is unique in being the only preserved Standard Class 5 fitted with Caprotti Valve Gear.
Outshopped from Derby Works in August 1956, it was allocated to Shrewsbury (84G) on the Western Region. In September 1958 it moved north to Patricroft shed (near Manchester), where it was to spend the remainder its working life until being withdrawn from traffic on 2nd December 1967.
It was bought for scrap by Woodham Bros Ltd and towed to their yard at Barry Island in South Wales for cutting up. But apart from having its non-ferrous fittings and pipework removed, and loosing its tender, 73129 remained virtually intact and was subsequently purchased, together with the tender from 75079, by Derby Corporation in 1972 as a potential exhibit for the then embryonic Midland Railway Project.
The 32nd loco to leave Barry Scrapyard for preservation, 73129 was moved by rail back to Derby Loco Works for storage on 6th January 1973, and finally arrived the Midland Railway Centre on 14th February 1975. However, due to other priorities, little was done apart from some conservation and comestic restoration until late in 1993 when, with financial support from the Standard Five Fund, restoration to get 73129 back to full working order, began in earnest.
Ten years on, the restoration of 73129 is now nearing completion, at a cost of £75,000 plus thousands of hours of voluntary labour, and it is hoped that during 2004, 73129 will be hauling trains again, after a break of 36 years.
Click Here for the latest news on the project. (Updated 10 May 2004)