Full steam ahead for success in 2019

An historic steam locomotive has been stortlisted for a major heritage award following a successful £43,000 restoration.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jan 2019, 08:00 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2019, 14:19 BST
Volunteers working on Jurassic at Skegness Water Leisure Park. ANL-181227-142041001Volunteers working on Jurassic at Skegness Water Leisure Park. ANL-181227-142041001
Volunteers working on Jurassic at Skegness Water Leisure Park. ANL-181227-142041001

‘Jurassic’ at Skegness Water Leisure Park is up for the 2019 Heritage Railway Association as a result of work carried out by Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway Historic Vehicles Trust volunteers and their contractors, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The short-listing comes as the LCLR prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary of reopening after its move to the Skegness Water Leisure Park.

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Jurassic was built in 1903 in Bristol by Peckett and Sons Ltd for the quarries and cement works of Kaye and Company in Southam in Warwickshire, together with similar locomotives named after prehistoric geological periods.

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All aboard.... Jurassic arring at Skegness Water Leisure Park station ANL-181227-141725001All aboard.... Jurassic arring at Skegness Water Leisure Park station ANL-181227-141725001
All aboard.... Jurassic arring at Skegness Water Leisure Park station ANL-181227-141725001

The locomotive runs on tracks just two feet wide, which made her a perfect fit for the rails of the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway, who bought her in 1961 to help operate their services linking the bus terminus at Humberston, near Cleethorpes, with the local beach and holiday camp.

When that location closed in 1985, she was moved into store and then to the LCLR’s new location in the Skegness Water Leisure Park, close to Butlins, Ingoldmells, north of Skegness.

The line reopened to passengers in 2009, since when the historical significance of its unique collection of rails, locomotives, carriages and wagons from the trench railways of World War One, industry and farms in rural England has become more widely recognised.

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Jurassic was successfully steamed for the first time in 31 years in 2017, thanks to the £43,000 grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Jurassic with three original 1960/1961 volunteers, still active - l-r Jim Smith, Mick Allen (on the footplate), Chris Bates. ANL-181227-143008001Jurassic with three original 1960/1961 volunteers, still active - l-r Jim Smith, Mick Allen (on the footplate), Chris Bates. ANL-181227-143008001
Jurassic with three original 1960/1961 volunteers, still active - l-r Jim Smith, Mick Allen (on the footplate), Chris Bates. ANL-181227-143008001

The first task for the volunteers and contractors was to dismantle Jurassic, with the boiler and firebox being sent to the North Norfolk Railway for repair and rebuilding at their workshops in Weybourne, near Sheringham.

Upon the successful repair of these items, they were reunited with Jurassic’s frames at Skegness. Together with the smokebox; her long elegant chimney was put back in place; the injectors were repaired and refitted, as was the connecting pipework for steam and water. The gauge glasses (which show how much water is in the boiler). The regulator (which governs speed); the reversing lever (which controls the direction of travel) and associated fittings were all refitted and repaired.

The large cab, which can accommodate four adults, including the driver and fireman, was sand blasted to remove 114 years of accumulated soot, grease and grime; the hand and air brakes were refitted; the saddletank (which carries reserves of cold water) was made water-tight replaced on top of the boiler, together with insulation, boiler cladding, the whistle and new components (such as a brass dome cover and other fittings to replace those stolen several years ago). The saddletank has been removed this winter for further repairs, ready for the 10th anniversary season in 2019.

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The whole locomotive was repainted: red for the buffer beams, and Middle Brunswick Green for the cab exterior, saddletank and cladding; black for the chimney, smokebox and running boards.

This picture by Dave EnNefer shows Jurassic with driver Mick Allen -- a volunteer since 1960 - on the footplate and fireman Mike Gott (a volunteer for nearly as long) preparing to couple up the loco to her train at South Loop ready for the run back to Walls Lane. ANL-181227-142728001This picture by Dave EnNefer shows Jurassic with driver Mick Allen -- a volunteer since 1960 - on the footplate and fireman Mike Gott (a volunteer for nearly as long) preparing to couple up the loco to her train at South Loop ready for the run back to Walls Lane. ANL-181227-142728001
This picture by Dave EnNefer shows Jurassic with driver Mick Allen -- a volunteer since 1960 - on the footplate and fireman Mike Gott (a volunteer for nearly as long) preparing to couple up the loco to her train at South Loop ready for the run back to Walls Lane. ANL-181227-142728001

Jurassic’s return to service on the LCLR at the end of the Summer 2017 season was a great success; with the line extended over the winter of 2017/18 it had a longer run for its first full season in 2018 – an overwhelming success, attracting people from all over the UK to enjoy the delights of ‘Jurassic in the Park’.

Railway spokesman John Chappell said: “We always thought ‘Jurassic in the Park’ was an inspired way to tell everyone that this wonderful old steam engine is now pulling trains in the Skegness Water Leisure Park and it seems the public and the judges of the Heritage Railway Association agree. It is a remarkable achievement for our dedicated volunteers to be in such august company and a tribute to their hard work, skill and dedication.”

Jurassic is short-listed under the title “Jurassic in the Park” among three other locomotive restoration projects for “The Coiley Locomotive Engineering Award”. The winner will be announced at the HRA’s Annual Awards Dinner in the Burlington Hotel, Birmingham on the February 9, 2019.

ON TRACK FOR AWARDS

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Some of the volunteers who have worked on Jurassic's restoration pose with her on the arrival of her first test train at South Loop on the LCLR; l-r Paul Walkinshaw, Chris Bates, Claire Smith, Tim Drury, Jim Smith, John Whaley, Richard Shepherd, Peter Balderston; (kneeling) Bob Laycock  and on the right, Jurassic. Photo Dave Enefer/LCLR. ANL-181227-095344001Some of the volunteers who have worked on Jurassic's restoration pose with her on the arrival of her first test train at South Loop on the LCLR; l-r Paul Walkinshaw, Chris Bates, Claire Smith, Tim Drury, Jim Smith, John Whaley, Richard Shepherd, Peter Balderston; (kneeling) Bob Laycock  and on the right, Jurassic. Photo Dave Enefer/LCLR. ANL-181227-095344001
Some of the volunteers who have worked on Jurassic's restoration pose with her on the arrival of her first test train at South Loop on the LCLR; l-r Paul Walkinshaw, Chris Bates, Claire Smith, Tim Drury, Jim Smith, John Whaley, Richard Shepherd, Peter Balderston; (kneeling) Bob Laycock  and on the right, Jurassic. Photo Dave Enefer/LCLR. ANL-181227-095344001

The award for Jurassic’s restoration is not the first for the LCLR. Shortly after it reopened in the Water Leisure park in 2009, it was awarded the Small Groups Award by the Heritage Railway Association for its achievement, jointly with the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway, which has reopened the North Thoresby to Ludborough section of the East Lincolnshire Railway and is now rebuilding that line towards Louth. It has in the past been honoured by the Transport Trust for its conservation work with its World War One vehicles, some of which was part-funded by the Science Museum.

Full details on the Jurassic story and the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway on www.lclr.co.uk

The Heritage Railway Association’s website with details of Jurassic's award is on

www.hra.uk.com/2019-awards-winners-and-short-lists/

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