UK locomotives in preservation abroad?

[Iskra]

There are a number of non-native locomotives operating on British preserved lines. However, are there any foreign preserved railways that have a British locomotive or even any rolling stock in use?

I’m not including locomotives built in the UK exported for service abroad. I’m referring to locomotives that did their revenue service on the British network that are now operating on overseas preserved lines.

 

[JKF]

There’s one of the prototype railbuses somewhere in the states, someone was trying to repatriate it a while ago as it was up for sale and somewhat neglected.

There‘s also some Mk1 & 2 coaching stock that was exported around the 1990s, some of which I think might be in preservation or further use as grounded vehicles (cafes etc) - possibly Israel? Sorry to be vague but I did read an article/post on it a short while ago.

 

[Journeyman]

Former BR Mark 2s are regularly used on steam mainline railtours in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. Believe it or not, they've also been used on steam tours in New Zealand.

 

[Gloster]

Isn’t there an Austerity tank in The Netherlands or Belgium?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Don't forget there's a couple of A4 pacifics across the Atlantic...

 

[XAM2175]

You could potentially include E27003, which is preserved in the Netherlands, but in its ex-NS condition rather than ex-BR.

 

[Gloster]

There is a former Mersey Railway 0-6-4T in Australia, although I think that most of its working life was over there.

 

[36270k]

There is an A4 ( Dwight D. Eisenhower ) in the museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin
also an A4 ( Dominion of Canada ) at the railway museum in St Constant, Montreal, Canada
Both of these are static exhibits.

 

[Journeyman]

GWR No. 4079 Pendennis Castle was exported to Australia in 1977, where it ran regularly on the Hamersley Iron Railway. It was repatriated in 2000, and is now based at Didcot.

 

[Spartacus]

The Maldegem Steam Centre in Belgium has a couple of shunters, an Avonside and a Hunslet, both of which previously worked in the UK.

 

[d9009alycidon]

Do the NS class 600 shunter count? British design and built in the UK to a design very similar to the LMS class 11. Several preserved or still in use

 

[341o2]

read the Op's criteria regarding rolling stock manufactured for export. comment deleted

 

[2392]

There are 3 ex ROD 2-8-0 Great Central designed locos in Australia. At least one of which saw service here in the UK [on the LNWR IIRC] before being sold to an Australian coal mining company, as "Army Surplus" in the early twenties.

Edit: As well as the one I mentioned above I believe many others went out on too loan as a temporary measure to the UK Railway Companies. Some of which were bought by the LNWR, GWR, as well as the GCR and LNER. With the rest being as I mention "Sold on Army Surplus."

 

[Taunton]

Back about 1980 there was a restaurant in Los Angeles next to the Universal Studios attraction, called Victoria Station. This was a chain, but this particular one was their star site. On a hillside, it had about six BR Mk 1 carriages, of various types, somewhat stripped out internally to make dining saloons, connected to a central kitchen building. BR blue/grey livery. Always looked bizarre seeing all this BR stock in California when driving by. Given the cost of shipping them over, I did wonder if they had come from some other project.

At the reception area they had the wonderful old huge Southern Railway wooden departure describer from Waterloo station, complete, that was replaced some time in the 1970s (I remember it being advertised for sale). It still had all the various destination and calling point wooden inserts, but of course set to nonsense combinations.

Restaurant long gone. I wonder what happened to it all.

 

[Iskra]

There’s one of the prototype railbuses somewhere in the states, someone was trying to repatriate it a while ago as it was up for sale and somewhat neglected.

There‘s also some Mk1 & 2 coaching stock that was exported around the 1990s, some of which I think might be in preservation or further use as grounded vehicles (cafes etc) - possibly Israel? Sorry to be vague but I did read an article/post on it a short while ago.

Former BR Mark 2s are regularly used on steam mainline railtours in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. Believe it or not, they've also been used on steam tours in New Zealand.

Thanks for the info. I forgot about the Mk2's in Ireland. The NZ Mk2's have had some interesting automatic doors added that look a little out of place. Good examples

Don't forget there's a couple of A4 pacifics across the Atlantic...

There is an A4 ( Dwight D. Eisenhower ) in the museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin
also an A4 ( Dominion of Canada ) at the railway museum in St Constant, Montreal, Canada
Both of these are static exhibits.

Yes, probably the most famous examples of UK stock abroad (apart from when Flying Scotsman went over). I assume these were chosen for their looks and names rather than any particular railway relevance!

You could potentially include E27003, which is preserved in the Netherlands, but in its ex-NS condition rather than ex-BR.

Yes, a good example that one, thank you

GWR No. 4079 Pendennis Castle was exported to Australia in 1977, where it ran regularly on the Hamersley Iron Railway. It was repatriated in 2000, and is now based at Didcot.

Another good example. Interesting that quite a lot of stock that goes abroad seems to make its way back eventually!

The Maldegem Steam Centre in Belgium has a couple of shunters, an Avonside and a Hunslet, both of which previously worked in the UK.

Good examples, thank you. And not too far to go visit those

There are 3 ex ROD 2-8-0 Great Central designed locos in Australia. At least one of which saw service here in the UK [on the LNWR IIRC] before being sold to an Australian coal mining company, as "Army Surplus" in the early twenties.

Excellent, I did think there would be quite a few army surplus examples pop up here

Back about 1980 there was a restaurant in Los Angeles next to the Universal Studios attraction, called Victoria Station. This was a chain, but this particular one was their star site. On a hillside, it had about six BR Mk 1 carriages, of various types, somewhat stripped out internally to make dining saloons, connected to a central kitchen building. BR blue/grey livery. Always looked bizarre seeing all this BR stock in California when driving by. Given the cost of shipping them over, I did wonder if they had come from some other project.

At the reception area they had the wonderful old huge Southern Railway wooden departure describer from Waterloo station, complete, that was replaced some time in the 1970s (I remember it being advertised for sale). It still had all the various destination and calling point wooden inserts, but of course set to nonsense combinations.

Restaurant long gone. I wonder what happened to it all.

A very interesting, and probably unique example! How random! And yes, it would be interesting to hear if anyone has any further information about what happened to that collection.

 

[alexl92]

Yes, probably the most famous examples of UK stock abroad (apart from when Flying Scotsman went over). I assume these were chosen for their looks and names rather than any particular railway relevance!

Dominion of Canada and Dwight D Eisenhower were both donated to the respective railway museums by BR. Presumably some form of gesture of friendship, given the status of the A4 class.

 

[Journeyman]

The main reason Pendennis Castle came back to the UK was because the Australian iron ore railway where it was based implemented an automatic cab signalling scheme in 1994, and after that it could no longer be used unless piloted by a diesel. The owners were keen to make sure it went to a good home.

 

[d9009alycidon]

Surprised nobody in Iran preserved a Pacer*



*to demonstrate to their children how backward the British Imperialists actually are!!!

 

[Loppylugs]

At the reception area they had the wonderful old huge Southern Railway wooden departure describer from Waterloo station, complete, that was replaced some time in the 1970s (I remember it being advertised for sale). It still had all the various destination and calling point wooden inserts, but of course set to nonsense combinations.

I remember that well, hearing the sound of the various wooden inserts rolling over. I have my old home town wooden insert, Raynes Park, from that describer.

 

[paul1609]

There is an A4 ( Dwight D. Eisenhower ) in the museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin
also an A4 ( Dominion of Canada ) at the railway museum in St Constant, Montreal, Canada
Both of these are static exhibits.

The Railway Museum at St Constant also has ex LBSCR terrier Waddon DS680 No 54. There are periodic rumours that they want to dispose of it causing much excitement amongst the Terrier Mafia here https://terriertrust.org.uk/other-t...th-ramblers-association-excursion-18-oct-1959

 

[Cowley]

The Railway Museum at St Constant also has ex LBSCR terrier Waddon DS680 No 54. There are periodic rumours that they want to dispose of it causing much excitement amongst the Terrier Mafia here https://terriertrust.org.uk/other-t...th-ramblers-association-excursion-18-oct-1959

The Terrier Mafia!

 

[paul1609]

The Terrier Mafia!

The Terrier Mafia have infiltrated large parts of the K&ESR and IOWSR. The Bressingham museum are corporate members with Marshmello. The Bluebell are not sure whether they want to be infiltrated by the Terrier Mafia or not, it might be below their big railway status although they do own Stepney and Frankenchurch both of which can be pushed around by a 9F or hired to other railways to be pulled around by good terriers. The Spa Valley desperately want to be infiltrated by the Terrier Mafia but haven't got there yet despite trying for many years (Sutton). The NRM are associate (stuffed category) members (Boxhill) but well its not Flying Scotsman is it?

 

[Strathclyder]

The Terrier Mafia!

Hope @paul1609 won't mind if I pinch that for my own use lol

 

[Cowley]

The Terrier Mafia have infiltrated large parts of the K&ESR and IOWSR. The Bressingham museum are corporate members with Marshmello. The Bluebell are not sure whether they want to be infiltrated by the Terrier Mafia or not, it might be below their big railway status although they do own Stepney and Frankenchurch both of which can be pushed around by a 9F or hired to other railways to be pulled around by good terriers. The Spa Valley desperately want to be infiltrated by the Terrier Mafia but haven't got there yet despite trying for many years (Sutton). The NRM are associate (stuffed category) members (Boxhill) but well its not Flying Scotsman is it?

Love it.

 

[83A]

SR Schools Class Repton spent a few years running in the USA before being repatriated. It has a non standard modified tender where it was extended for more capacity!

 

[D6975]

The Leyland bodied RB3 railbus is in Ireland, I photographed it at Cultra many years ago, but I think it's at Downpatrick now.

 

[trainmania100]

How stupid of me to think railway preservation didn't exist outside of the UK. A nice thread this. When you think of the different countries and their locos like Pakistani railways (often watch their YouTube vids), it's hard to think that many other countries do have some form of railway preservation.

I think New Zealand does too, or at least signal boxes, as a Pokémon go player I've had a few gifts of old railway things from NZ

 

[Iskra]

There is a former Mersey Railway 0-6-4T in Australia, although I think that most of its working life was over there.

Interesting looking loco's those, I'd never even heard of them! Apparently they ran better backwards too, which is odd for steam locomotives.

SR Schools Class Repton spent a few years running in the USA before being repatriated. It has a non standard modified tender where it was extended for more capacity!

I didn't know that and that's a good nugget of information regarding the tender too, thank you!

The Leyland bodied RB3 railbus is in Ireland, I photographed it at Cultra many years ago, but I think it's at Downpatrick now.

Excellent. That one can stay in Ireland however...

 

[Richard Scott]

The Leyland bodied RB3 railbus is in Ireland, I photographed it at Cultra many years ago, but I think it's at Downpatrick now.

Saw it in Downpatrick in 2016

 

[eldomtom2]

SR Schools Class Repton spent a few years running in the USA before being repatriated. It has a non standard modified tender where it was extended for more capacity!

Actually Canada - it was purchased by Steamtown USA, but then rented to the Cape Breton Steam Railway in Nova Scotia.

I believe to this day there is a UK industrial locomotive still operating in either the US or Canada, but unfortunately I remember nothing else other than it had a hideous livery.

Quarry Hunslet Edward Sholto was sold to a Canadian in 1960 and spent the next 46 years passing through the hands of a variety of private owners in Canada and the US before returning to Britain.

If Jersey locomotives count as UK ones then the only surviving Jersey steam locomotive is La Moye, still owned by the South African power company in whose service it had a far longing working life than it ever did in Jersey.

Back about 1980 there was a restaurant in Los Angeles next to the Universal Studios attraction, called Victoria Station. This was a chain, but this particular one was their star site. On a hillside, it had about six BR Mk 1 carriages, of various types, somewhat stripped out internally to make dining saloons, connected to a central kitchen building. BR blue/grey livery. Always looked bizarre seeing all this BR stock in California when driving by. Given the cost of shipping them over, I did wonder if they had come from some other project.

At the reception area they had the wonderful old huge Southern Railway wooden departure describer from Waterloo station, complete, that was replaced some time in the 1970s (I remember it being advertised for sale). It still had all the various destination and calling point wooden inserts, but of course set to nonsense combinations.

Restaurant long gone. I wonder what happened to it all.

They did come from another project - Flying Scotsman's ill-fated US tour. Three of them were not Mk1s but Thompson full brakes. Their current whereabouts, if they still survive, is unknown.

The three Pullman coaches that went on the tour all eventually returned to Britain - before this two were at the National Railroad Museum and one was converted into an office block extension in San Franciso. One of the Thompson full brakes was sold directly into scrap, and the last full brake was detached during the tour for unknown reasons at an unknown place.