Operational Steam Engines
Birkenhead: 7386
This smart little Loco arrived in May 2010 and is on long term hire from the Southall Railway centre, she can regularly be seen taking charge of our passenger services every other Sunday. Completed in 1948 at the works she entered service as a humble shunting loco at PowerStation and didn’t retire until the summer of 1980, this was due to the vast supplies of coal available and therefore made it cheap to run.
She has two 14 inch cylinders with a copper firebox fitted with brass flew tubes, this was a classic industrial design which has been crafted to ensure efficient running and a long lasting life span. Weighing in at just over 35 tons and combined with the long stroke 14 inch cylinders means she can pull approximately 800-1000 tons on the level, not much stamina due to the small boiler capacity but more than capable of carrying those loads at low speeds in short distances.
After arriving at the Southall railway centre she went under a complete overhaul and last year returned to steam enabling her to be leased out to other railways for hiring. The Lavender Line was lucky enough to secure her for a year until the hopeful return of Austin 1 can be made, this also means that Clive Grooms famous footplate courses can now return and Birkenhead can regularly be seen on Saturdays carrying out those duties.
Update
Birkenhead left the railway in May 2011 and worked her way to the Cholsey and Wallingford railway where she has stayed ever since. Birkenhead gave the Lavender line a years worth of perfect service with almost trouble free steamings. Being both powerful and economical Birkenhead proved herself to be a really reliable and much loved engine and it is hoped she can return to Lavender line metals once more.
