Museum of Science and Industry

MOSI is pulling out all the stops for the 100^th birthday celebrations of one of Manchester’s most famous steam locomotives.

It is taking the K1, the first Beyer-Garratt produced by the Beyer, Peacock company, back to its birthplace in Gorton, Manchester, on August 17 to celebrate 100 years since it first steamed off the production line.

The anniversary has special resonance as the town of Gorton is also celebrating 100 years since it became part of Manchester, through its Gorton 100 celebrations.

To start the proceedings, K1 will be transported on a low loader from MOSI, where it has been star of the show at the recent Great Garratt Gathering. It will then be positioned on the site of the old boiler shop, where it was first tested in steam, and MOSI director, Steve Davies MBE, will make a speech and cut a special birthday cake.

There will also be speeches by Mike Hart, General Manager of Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways (where K1 is currently based) and James Hicklin, a former fitter at Beyer, Peacock.

Other guests include record producer and railway enthusiast Pete Waterman who has his own extensive collection of trains and model rail layouts and has just bought his own Beyer-Garratt locomotive. He will be joined by a number of ex-employees from Beyer, Peacock and several civic dignitaries.

The loco will then be taken to the Tesco and Gorton Market’s car park on Hyde Road for viewing by the public and then on to Brookfield Church, also on Hyde Road, where the assembled party will lay tributes at the mausoleum of company founder, Richard Peacock. It will then return to North Wales the same day.

Beyer, Peacock was founded in Gorton in 1854 by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock and exported its steam locomotives all over the world. In 1909 Herbert William Garratt designed an articulated locomotive to cope with steep hills and sharp turns and the Beyer-Garratt locomotive was born.

The design was so successful that 1,636 Garratts were produced in total, running on 86 railways in 48 countries. The K1 was exported to Tasmania where it hauled wagons carrying ore on the North East Dundas Tramway. It came back to Gorton in the 1950s and was then taken to North Wales where it now a major attraction, pulling tourist coaches on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways.

MOSI Director, Steve Davies, said: “The K1 is a fantastic example of Manchester engineering at its best and it was only fitting to stage an event to mark its 100^th birthday.”

ENDS

Notes:

Timetable of day’s events:

9am: K1 departs MOSI, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester.

9.20am: K1 arrives at Gorton works

10am: Speeches by MOSI Director Steve Davies and Ffestiniog Railway Company General Manager, Mike Hart followed by photocall.

10.30am: K1 moves to the boiler shop wall for another photo opportunity

11am: K1 moves inside boiler shop for final photocall

11.45am: K1 departs Gorton works.

12 noon – 1.15pm: K1 at Tesco/Gorton Market car park, Hyde Road, Gorton, for public viewing.

1.30pm – 2pm: K1 at Brookfield Church, Hyde Road, Gorton. Laying of tributes followed by one minute’s silence marked by K1’s whistle. Tributes laid by MOSI, Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, GMITA , Beyer, Peacock employees; Gorton 100 committee; Brookfield Church.

For more information please call Diane Inglis on 0161 606 0173 or Sarah Roe on 0161 606 0176.

www.mosi.org.uk

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