Tag: Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

On This Day… Ex. Llandarcy Refinery shunters

TH 0-6-0DHF Tommy (works no.246V of 1973)-20100227
Thomas Hill (Rotherham) Ltd 0-6-0DHF Tommy (works no.246V of 1973)
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, 27 February 2010

Photographed on a murky Saturday afternoon 15 years ago were this pair of Thomas Hill (Rotherham) Ltd 0-6-0DMF locomotives at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (EVR) in Derbyshire.

Both locomotives were supplied new to BP’s Llandarcy Refinery in South Wales and arrived at the EVR in February 2009.

No.246V has since been rebuilt by LH Group/Hunslet Engine Co Ltd (as works no.9377) and is currently to be found at Trostre Steelworks in Carmarthenshire.

TH 0-6-0DHF Hydra (works no.194V of 1968)-20100227
Thomas Hill (Rotherham) Ltd 0-6-0DHF Hydra (works no.194V of 1968)
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, 27 February 2010

No.194V was also sold to LH Group/Hunslet Engine Co Ltd but ended up being scrapped in June 2017 at EMR, Kingsbury.

Back in Business – The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

A couple of weeks ago I paid a (socially distanced) visit to the recently re-opened Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (EVR), treating myself (and the people in my ‘bubble’) to a ‘Bounce Back’ ticket.

33103-20200801c33103 SWORDFISH couples onto the 13.20 to Duffield
Wirksworth Station, August 2020

The EVR have chosen to operate a simple timetable of three return trips per day, all starting at Wirksworth with no break of journey allowed.

Tickets are being sold on a compartment basis and each group (of up to six people) is allocated a compartment on arrival and the carriages are clearly marked as to which door to board at.

Limited catering facilities were in operation (although we’d packed a picnic) and apart from the masks and the railway’s staff helping to keep the small groups of people apart everything felt very ‘normal’.

'SWORDFISH'SWORDFISH nameplate (33103)
Wirksworth Station, August 2020

33103 ‘SWORDFISH’ (the former D6514, b.1960, BRCW) made light work of three beautifully turned out BR Mk.1 carriages and a few groups (us included) were lucky enough to be allocated a first class compartment!

33103-20200801d33103 SWORDFISH runs round its train
Duffield Station, August 2020

The EVR (and all the heritage lines that have managed to re-open under these difficult circumstances) really need our support to survive… If you can, buy a ticket and enjoy a ride!