Museum of Science and Industry

MOSI is appealing for funds to help restore a steam locomotive that once shunted coal between Agecroft Colliery and Agecroft Power Station, but will spend its retirement years hauling a very different kind of cargo.  

Volunteers and MOSI staff have painstakingly restored much of the vehicle chassis and the restored boiler will be added in the next few weeks. They aim to have the historic locomotive up and running for visitor train rides during MOSI’s Transport Festival on 7-8 August.

Visitor donations have already contributed £3165 to the restoration of Agecroft, but the project is expected to cost a total £120,000. When it arrived at MOSI the shunter was filthy, rusting and in bits, but the restoration team of around 20 staff and volunteers have completely rebuilt it, replacing bearings and fixing all joints and moving parts.

The 28-ton Agecroft No.1 was built in Newcastle in 1948 by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns. Its short wheelbase and sturdy design allows it to negotiate sharp curves and rough track in industrial areas like mines, factories and dockyards. Agecroft No.1 can haul a hefty 1159 tons and was one of three Swinton-based locomotives used by the British Electrical Authority to service the Power station until the early 1980s.

Tony Hill, director of MOSI said: “The transformation of Agecroft No 1 has been truly impressive and a real credit to the volunteers who have dedicated their time and effort to bringing this sturdy locomotive back into working order. Thanks to them and to all the generous support of our visitors so far on this restoration project. If you can spare a little more cash to help us finish the restoration and get Agecroft No. 1 back on the tracks at MOSI that would be fantastic!”

Volunteer Bev Pardoe, an electrical engineer, says it was a pleasure to work on such a well-designed piece of machinery and he is keen to see it back in working order.

“I was utterly impressed by these huge frames which hold the locomotive together. There are five tons of steel frame which are parallel and square to each other and are incredibly accurately made. The design is actually one from 1905 and had hardly changed by 1948 when the Agecroft No 1 was produced, so they had plenty of time to get it right!”

A replacement cab and coal bunkers has been made by a firm in Bolton, (Brandsworth Engineering) the boiler restored by a company in Bradford (Israel Newtons and Sons) and other heavy machining work undertaken by Machinist and Toolmakers (Special Equipment Ltd) of Oldham and the entire chassis has been repainted in a striking maroon and green livery, which are the original colours of the British Electrical Authority.

Funds are still required to complete various runs of pipework and install a vacuum brake system that will enable passenger trains to be run at MOSI.

For media enquiries please contact: Sarah Roe, MOSI press and publicity officer on Tel: 0161 606 0176, m: 07847 372647

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