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Andrew Barclay 1950/1928 ‘Heysham No.2’69 viewsDelivered new to the Liverpool Corporation in 1928, the loco was later transferred to Lancaster Power Station in 1966, until moving to it’s final place of work, Heysham Power station in 1971. The availability of high pressure steam meant that the fireless locomotive was a very efficient method of traction.


The locomotive spent a number of years on display at Southport after being delivered on long term loan in 1993, before moving with the collection to Riversway, arriving on 1st April 1999.

The loco completed a full cosmetic restoration in 2006, and is currently exhibited in the museum building. Heysham No.2 is similar to the locomotive “Duke” – which used to work at Preston Docks.
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Andrew Barclay 1147/1908 ‘John Howe’64 viewsThe loco was ordered in 1908 by Howe’s Plaster Works, to work between the private sidings (Howes Sidings Box) on the Settle & Carlisle near Cumwhinton, in Cumberland (as it was then), and their works at Cocklakes. This private branch contained quite a severe gradient up to the works – of which little trace is left today. Howes Plaster Works later became “Carlisle Plaster Co” and later part of British Gypsum.


In the early 1970’s Steamtown in Carnforth were looking to obtain some smaller locos that were more econmical to use than main line machines, to operate their footplate rides.
The loco was purchased along with a number of sister locos, and was taken to Steamtown, Carnforth for preservation. They had been stored in a shed for a number of years, and it is recalled how thick the white Gypsum dust covering the engines was before they left.
Upon arrival at Carnforth, the loco received attention to the boiler, and was painted in Campbeltown & Machrihanish North British livery.

The holes below the existing buffers previously house a set of secondary buffers that would match up with the small wooden wagons that were used in Cocklakes.

The loco ran at Carnforth for a number of years, and being re-restored at RSR operated regularly up to the end of the 2013 season. It was loaned to Beamish in 2014 and then returned once again to Galas on our line in 2014 and 2015. It is currently out of traffic once again…. (It featured on Preston Flag market on July 4th 2015 for a Marketing Day)
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Sentinel 8024/1929 ‘Gasbag’63 viewsAfter spending most of it’s life working for the Gas board in Cambridge, the small Sentinel moved to Carnforth, where it became a regular, in use for shunting & demonstration trains.


The little loco fell out of use and was purchased in 1997 and restored to working order, and it moved to Southport & took part in a number of operations before being moved to Preston – arriving on 23rd March 1999. Gasbag has been seen on a couple of photographic charters, along with occasional use at Riversway.

The loco has been re-steamed again in August 2007, and appeared in the 2007 Autumn Steam Gala, and also the following Spring Steam Gala in 2008 after vacuum brake equipment was installed.

Sadly, the boiler is now in need of it’s ten year overhaul, and this is not currently in plan, so the loco has returned to Museum Exhibition for the time being.
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L & Y 0-4-0 Pug No.19 and Bagnall 2680/1942 'Courageous' 32 views15:10 returning service with No.19 and Courageous double head out, FR20 and No.21 double head return. Seen here leaving the swing bridge at the rear for Riversway Station
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RSH 7485/1948 ‘Agecroft No.2’27 viewsAgecroft No.2 was one of three standard outside cylinder locomotives ordered by the Salford Corporation Electricity Department for use at Agecroft Power Station near Manchester where they shunted coal wagons from the power station to the coal tipplers. Works no 7485 was delivered in a goods train to Agecroft BR shed. Painted green and black lining edged with red on the outside and yellow on the inside, she was put into store nearby and did not commence work until December 1950.

The power station eventually passed into CEGB ownership and the engines became redundant when a conveyor belt was constructed to bring the coal supplies in directly from Agecroft colliery. When the surplus locos were offered for sale, AG2 was purchased and moved to Southport by road on 14th December 1982. Following intensive restoration, the loco spent much of the 1990s masquerading at ‘Thomas’ (or at least his very close friend)at events at Southport, and also appearing at the Preston Guild celebrations of 1992.

The loco spent most of 2004 off site at the East Lancashire Railway, masquerading as “Percy” for their Thomas events, but after returned to Riversway to haul the first passenger train during the open weekend of 8th & 9th January. This was followed up by operating the inaugural train on our formal open day in September 2005. From then until September 2008, the loco was a regular performer, however, in November 2008, the loco was withdrawn for her well deserved 10 year overhaul. It’s not yet been decided where AG2’s position in the restoration queue will be – however, the loco will hopefully not be away too long!
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26 views
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Andrew Barclay 1865/1926 ‘Alexander’26 viewsDelivered new to the Southall Gas Works as No.4 Loco, it was named Alexander in preservation by it’s new owner at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. Purchased by it’s current owner in 1988 and transferred initially to Fleetwood, and then onto Southport in 1993. Alexander’s restoration was completed at Southport in 1994, and spent a number of years working on the demonstration line.


In the June 1996, Alex paid a short visit to Riversway prior to our occupation of the site. After working a number of demonstration trains to celebrate the Maritime Festival, Alexander was despatched on hire to the East Anglian Railway museum, where she saw a number of year’s use.

Taken out of service pending further investigations into tubeplate wastage, Alexander returned to Riversway on 3rd July 2002 for repair work. The loco is current on display in the museum building.
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Peckett 2003/1941 ‘John Blenkinsop’26 viewsThe locomotive was supplied to the Ministry of Supply, used at first in Swynnerton Royal Ordnance factory. It moved to the Royal Ordnance factory at Salwick, later the UK Atomic Energy Authority and finally BNFL.

It was a standby loco with two Hudswell diesels doing much of the work so it remained in good condition.
It went to the Middleton Railway in 1972 and was in use for 18 years.
Since 1990 the locomotive has been out of use and moved to RSR to join the two Salwick diesels ‘Mighty Atom‘ and ‘Sparky‘ in 2015 (Jan 28) for display in the museum.

The locomotive is on loan from The Middleton Railway, Hunslet, Leeds, being jointly owned by Mrs Sheila Bye and the Middleton Railway Trust Ltd.

The loco was named after John Blenkinsop (1783-1831) who was an English mining engineer and an inventor of steam locomotives, who designed the first practical railway locomotive. In addition to managing the Middleton Collieries, in the 1820s John Blenkinsop was the consulting engineer for Sir John Lister Kaye of Denby Grange, owner of Caphouse Colliery. Also, as a qualified “Viewer”, he was hired by various other colliery owners to examine their collieries and report on such vital matters as the expected future production of a pit, as well as to make suggestions as to how its operation and production could be improved. Blenkinsop died in Leeds in 1831.
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Peckett 1636/1924 ‘Fonmon’26 views
Peckett 0-6-0ST No. 1636 ‘Fonmon’
Built for Aberthaw & Bristol Channel Portland Cement Co Ltd, it worked at their cement works and the Tumen Asbestos Works in Rhoose, South Wales.

Originally preserved at the Avon Valley Railway, nr Bristol in the 1970s, where it worked until expiry of its boiler certificate in 1990.

Last run was at Spa Valley Railway, 27/09/2009 when her ten year boiler ticket expired.

Named after Fonmon Castle, which is a fortified medieval castle near the village of Fonmon in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Arrived on site 11th July 2016. It is intended to eventually restore her back to running order.

It will be her 100th birthday in 2024
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English Electric EE788/193025 viewsThis 70hp battery electric locomotive is the only one left from hundreds of this type that were built. It worked at the Stafford works of English Electric, after being built by the company at the Dick Kerr works on Strand Road in Preston.

This particular loco had the distinction of being hauled up the LMS mainline every five years to its birthplace for overhaul. It spent its entire working life in Stafford, despite the name changes taken on by the business during its evolution.

It was rescued from the scrapman and purchased from GEC Turbine Generators in Feb 1986 and moved to the Foxfield Light Railway. Restoration of the internal fittings commenced whilst on site there. It was later purchased by RSR in 1996 and work has been completed on the external restoration of the loco for display in the museum.
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Andrew Barclay 1969/1929 ‘JN Derbyshire’25 views
‘JN Derbyshire’ was built at the Caledonia works of Andrew Barclay & Sons in Kilmarnock. It is a Barclay saddle tank with 12″ cylinders. The loco was purchased by the Carlisle Plaster & Cement Company (now British Gypsum) and worked at their Cocklakes Works, near Cumwhinton.


The loco was purchased upon retirement, along with a number of sister locos, and was taken to Steamtown, Carnforth for preservation. The loco was named “Jane Derbyshire” for some time whilst at Steamtown – but the original title has now been restored.

The loco arrived at Preston on Sunday 17th July 2005, and due to the fantastic external condition of the loco, is displayed in the museum building. There are no immediate plans to return the loco to steam.
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Fowler 4160001/1952 ‘Persil’25 viewsThis small diesel mechanical shunting locomotive was built by John Fowler of Leeds in 1952. Works No. 4160001, she was the prototype of her class and is powered by a McLaren diesel engine with mechanical transmission to four outside coupled wheels.

“Persil” worked at the soap works of Joseph Crosfield & Sons at Warrington until 1971, when they presented it to Steamport. It was the first exhibit for the Southport museum, and was delivered onto track adjacent to the museum premises on 12th January 1972, before the opening of the museum.

After seeing some work in those early days, Persil fell out of use and was replaced by locomotives which were easier to manage & maintain. Various long term problems, including the condition of the locomotives tyres have restricted any attempts to bring Persil back into use. The Fowler was brought to Preston, and arrived on 20th February 1999. The locomotive has undergone a refresh of it’s paintwork, being restored into its original blue livery and displayed within the museum as a good example of an early diesel shunter design.
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Sentinel 9373/1947 ‘St Monans’25 viewsSt Monans is a 100hp geared four wheel steam locomotive with a vertical boiler and cylinders which was built in 1947 by the Shrewsbury firm of Sentinels Ltd.
It was delivered new to the Hawton Plaster works of what later became British Gypsum Ltd, Newark. Taking it’s name from Andrew Barclay 279 of 1885, it worked here until being displaced by a diesel in 1971.

It was initially sold to a member of the GCR at Loughborough where restoration work was commenced. It was then re-sold and arrived at Southport in October 1979, where work was completed. Another regular performer at Southport, the loco eventually left traffic after the superheater failed in the early 1990s, and hasn’t steamed since. The engine was mov
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Hudswell Clarke D628/1943 ‘Mighty Atom’25 viewsMighty Atom was built by Hudswell Clarke of Leeds (Works Number D628) in 1943. The locomotive is diesel-mechanical but retains some steam outline feature such as the funnel.

Delivered to Springfields Works munitions factory outside Preston during World War 2 (10 December 1943) the locomotive was built with all electric circuits in conduit and the engine exhaust passed through a water trap to prevent sparks which could have caused an explosion. D628 worked at what became a nuclear fuel factory until the early 1990s when it and sister locomotive D629 (of 1945) became redundant.

Saved from the scrap man’s torch by a group of then BNFL employees and restored the locomotive was named Mighty Atom on the 50th anniversary of its arrival at Springfields (10 December 1993). It was moved to Steamport, Southport in July 1995 as all rails at the BNFL factory were being lifted and saw brief use at its new home. The mechanical gearbox was too delicate for regular use and she was taken out of service.
Mighty Atom has been recently repainted and prepared as a museum exhibit.
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Greenwood Batley 2000/1945 ‘Greenbat’23 viewsThis unusual locomotive was constructed to works no 2000 by the Leeds firm of Greenwood & Batley Ltd in 1945. It is a four wheeled battery-electric locomotive and draws it’s power from banks of lead-acid cells which are housed in the bonnets at each end of the centre cab.

It was used by the Central Electricity Generating Board for shunting wagons at Stourport Power Station until the conversion to merry-go-round system of coal delivery rendered the locomotive redundant. The locomotive was used on many occasions whilst on display at Southport, and at the time was considered the only operational locomotive of it’s type in preservation. Unfortunately, the cells have since become unserviceable. It is hoped that sponsorship may be available to replace these extremely expensive resources, and the locomotive will be used to manoeuvre vehicles in and out of our museum complex, reducing the pollution and dust created by other types of locomotive.
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Avonside 1568/1909 ‘Lucy’23 viewsLucy was built by the Avonside Engine Company at Bristol in 1909 and delivered to the Hutchinson Estate & Dock Co. Ltd. at Widnes. She was one of three class B3 0-6-0STs supplied having 14″ x 22″ cylinders and 3′ 3″ driving wheels, a type so familiar for so long in Liverpool’s dockland. They were named ‘Gertrude’, ‘Lucy’, and ‘Mary’ and dated from 1906, 1909 and 1913 respectively, and were named after the daughters of John Hutchinson, one of the founders of the Widnes chemical industry.


The engine ‘Lucy’ spent it’s entire working life on the Widnes dock system.
It was dismantled in August 1952 and sent to the Hunslet Engine Co. for overhaul. One year later, she returned to work very smartly painted green with yellow lining.

Lucy was retired in January 1971 and was purchased by the Liverpool Locomotive Preservation Group in February 1972 and stored together with ‘Efficient’ in a dockside engine shed at Seacombe. She was transferred to Steamport Southport on 1st August 1973, but briefly returned across the Mersey in July 1978 to take charge of the Birkenhead docker No.4 railtour. Once again in the early 1980’s, Lucy took retirement, and remains a static exhibit.

Lucy moved to Preston with the rest of the stock from Southport, and arrived in Preston on 27th February 1999. Recently given a new coat of paint for exhibition in the museum, the long term plan is to return Lucy to working condition once more when time and materials become available.
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