This unique looking Loco is a Yorktown class 0-4-0 saddle tank built in 1941 by Peckett and Sons of Bristol and is believed to be the smallest working standard gauge steam engine in the UK; this is down to her tiny wheels and boiler which limits how much work it can do. She was supplied brand new to the Royal Ordnance Corps in Poole Dorset and worked its duties throughout the Second World War collecting wagons and shunting around a very tightly packed yard.
It was thought that this little loco was the inspiration of the character Percy for rev Audrey who created Thomas the tank engine but sadly these were just roomers lost in time, although she does look similar to Percy in many ways its all just a myth. However she has taken several trips to the Mid hants railway to act as Percy during Thomas the Tank Engine weekends which tends to go down with the kids very well. She’s never officially carried a name due to her industrial backgrounds although at some point in the 1970’s she did carry the name Herbert but that was soon taken away due to the horrendous nameplate, so she now carries the unofficial name Teddy after her previous owner the late Rev Ted Boston.
My thanks to the 'Lavender Line' for the above
notes, pictures as always are my own
No comments:
Post a Comment