The third steam locomotive visiting the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for its Steam Gala is 'Omaha'.
This locomotive was built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in the USA and shipped to Britain in May 1943 to work temporarily on the LNER from its base at Neville Hill depot in Leeds. Designed by the United States Army Transportation Corps, No. 2253 was one of 800 S160-Class locomotives manufactured in North America and shipped to Great Britain in support of the war effort.
After D Day they were all moved into Europe to aid the Allied advance towards Germany. Following the end of the Second World War, many were sold to a variety of different countries. This example was bought by the Polish State Railway and became TR203-288. It was brought back to Britain in 1992 after reportedly having a full overhaul and, in 2013, No. 2253 was sold to Peter Best.
In May 2019 the locomotive was named 'Omaha' in honour of owner Peter Best’s father, who was involved in the D-Day landings at Omaha beach.
Following its appearance at the Steam Gala, this locomotive is due to stay on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and is to be converted from coal burning to oil burning. The reason for this is that coal suitable for steam locomotives is increasingly hard to obtain, so conversion to oil is a way of continuing to allow steam locomotives to operate.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway also has a British wartime locomotive, not currently in working order, but there are longer term plans to restore that and convert it to oil burning. It will be interesting to see how well they perform, and to be able to compare the two.
A good question Pat, and the answer is that I have no idea. I do know it will make the work of the fireman much easier, with no more coal to shovel! Several narrow gauge railways have converted locomotives to oil burning, but I haven't yet seen one at work.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway also has a British wartime locomotive, not currently in working order, but there are longer term plans to restore that and convert it to oil burning. It will be interesting to see how well they perform, and to be able to compare the two.
Ian
A good question Pat, and the answer is that I have no idea. I do know it will make the work of the fireman much easier, with no more coal to shovel! Several narrow gauge railways have converted locomotives to oil burning, but I haven't yet seen one at work.
Ian
Shh, don't tell the Just Stop Oil protesters - I don't want to see them sat on the tracks in front of the trains!
Ian