Railway 'Oscars' shortlist Skegness locomotive twice for national award

The near-30 year restoration of a small diesel locomotive on the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway has been shortlisted for not one, but two, national awards in the 2021 'Railway Oscars'.
By Damian Holmes
Published 5th Dec 2020, 17:59 BST
Finished loco: it’s September 2020 and the “Skeggy Simplex” is finished and preparing to take part in the Eight Simplex Cavalcade which marked the 60 th Anniversary of the LCLR’s opening as the world’s first heritage line to be built by enthusiasts. Photo: Dave Enefer/LCLR.Finished loco: it’s September 2020 and the “Skeggy Simplex” is finished and preparing to take part in the Eight Simplex Cavalcade which marked the 60 th Anniversary of the LCLR’s opening as the world’s first heritage line to be built by enthusiasts. Photo: Dave Enefer/LCLR.
Finished loco: it’s September 2020 and the “Skeggy Simplex” is finished and preparing to take part in the Eight Simplex Cavalcade which marked the 60 th Anniversary of the LCLR’s opening as the world’s first heritage line to be built by enthusiasts. Photo: Dave Enefer/LCLR.

It is the third consecutive year in which the railway in the Skegness Water Leisure Park has been shortlisted by the Heritage Railway Association for an award.

It was a joint winner with neighbours, the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway at Ludborough near Louth, for its achievement in reopening in 2009.

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The LCLR was the very first heritage railway in the world to be built by enthusiasts on a greenfield site when it opened on August 27, 1960, on its original site, linking the bus terminus at Humberston, south of Cleethorpes, with the local beach and The Fitties holiday camp.

At Skegness Brickworks: the loco in everyday working condition at Skegness Brickworks, hauling “tubs” of clay for making into bricks. Photo: Geoff Hankin/LCLRAt Skegness Brickworks: the loco in everyday working condition at Skegness Brickworks, hauling “tubs” of clay for making into bricks. Photo: Geoff Hankin/LCLR
At Skegness Brickworks: the loco in everyday working condition at Skegness Brickworks, hauling “tubs” of clay for making into bricks. Photo: Geoff Hankin/LCLR

Barbara Barnes, Board Director of the Heritage Railway Association, advised the LCLR that the Nominations Panel of the Awards had shortlisted their entry 'Skeggy Simplex - Iconic Simplex Success' for the Award for Diesel Locomotion and also for the Coiley Award.

Winners will not be known until the day of the awards (to be held in York on March 3 or April 27, 2021, depending on Covid-19 restrictions, as voting is done by secret ballot.

The locomotive is an 0-4-0 Diesel Mechanical 20 hp straight frame “Simplex” built by Motor Rail Ltd of Bedford in 1947, as works number 9264. It is locomotive number 8 in the LCLR fleet.

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Restoration was started more than 25 years ago by Richard Shepherd, a trustee and now chairman of the LCLR Historic Vehicles Trust at his former address in North Somercotes.

On return to Skegness, this time at the LCLR: the “Skeggy Simplex” has already undergone much restoration at North Somercotes but there is much, much more to do. Photo: Dave Enefer/LCLR.On return to Skegness, this time at the LCLR: the “Skeggy Simplex” has already undergone much restoration at North Somercotes but there is much, much more to do. Photo: Dave Enefer/LCLR.
On return to Skegness, this time at the LCLR: the “Skeggy Simplex” has already undergone much restoration at North Somercotes but there is much, much more to do. Photo: Dave Enefer/LCLR.

He has continued to actively assist work on the completion of the restoration following the loco’s return to Skegness, at the LCLR HQ in the Skegness Water Leisure Park, along with many other volunteers, led by Brian Coldwell.

Railway spokesman John Chappell said: “We’re honoured to be short-listed alongside the great achievements of the giants of railway preservation, such as the Ffestiniog Railway and the Severn Valley Railway.

"Without any of their resources. our volunteers’ skill and dedication has brought back to life a small locomotive which has played a very large part in making the Lincolnshire Coast one of the most popular destinations in the country for families on holiday – helping to protect the towns and villages and literally providing the motive power to build much of them in its everyday work”.

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Richard Shepherd said: “It is wonderful to see and hear the ‘Skeggy Simplex’ running again after all the years of work ,using only the most basic of tools. It’s not been an easy task, but persistence in solving problems and sourcing or making spare parts has paid off. I don’t think it occurred to us that one day, our efforts would be judged alongside those of the Severn Valley Railway, the Ffestiniog, the Tanfield or Mid-Suffolk – all lines whose

achievements over the years we respect and admire”.