Furness Railway No. 20, the oldest working standard gauge steam locomotive in the UK, is at Locomotion - The National Railway Museum at Shildon as the operating locomotive in residence.
No. 20 first visited the County Durham museum for its steam gala in 2008.
The locomotive spent all of 2009 there (apart from a brief stint at the NRM's headquarters in York) seeing regular use on the 2/3 mile running line at the museum, and the majority of 2010 there too.
2011 sees FR 2o at Shildon for virtually all the year - and was briefly joined by FRT stablemate 5643 for the GWR themed September steam gala weekend. FR20 took a break from running shuttle services with 5643 instead taking these duties, while FR20 was on the apron outside the museum in light steam across the weekend. This was the first time the FRT duo had been together since 2007, when they operated together at a Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway gala, and meant that the event was unofficially dubbed an "FRT gala"! Whether your interest was the FRT pairing or the official GWR theme, it was a winning formula - with record breaking crowds turning up to the County Durham museum, even more than when "Tornado" was the star guest alongside FR20 in 2009.
FR 20 is due to be spending more time away from Locomotion again in 2012 with a trip to the FRT's home base, the Ribble Steam Railway for its Feburary Gala then staying on for Easter services. Then in June, FR 20 has been confirmed as a must-have visitor to the second National Railway Museum - York - Railfest event, which is centred around record breakers. Clearly the oldest working locomotive in the country should be there, and so it will be!
Click here for the latest planned steaming dates, though note that these are subject to change.
For
the first time since its restoration, you can get your hand
on the regulator of the oldest working steam locomotive in the country - contact
Locomotion and sign up for the driver experience courses!
Locomotion Curator Anthony Coulls said "we hope that many will come and see it and ride behind it whilst it is here, it is a throwback to one of the most exciting periods of railway history."
Tim Owen, Chairman of the Furness Railway Trust, said "The FRT is honoured to have our flagship locomotive invited once again to part of the National Railway Museum."
The engine is seen (top) outside the main museum building alongside 5643, and (right) at the old Shildon goods shed hauling one of the regular trains on the demonstration line within the museum complex.
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İFurness Railway Trust 2010