Spa Valley Railway

Spa Valley Railway, West Station, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 5QY
Telephone: 01892 537715
Email enquiries@spavalleyrailway.co.uk

(Photo ©J. Nye)

BR Standard 4 Tank 80078

Works No. 80078
BR Standard 4 2-6-4T Out Shopped 2nd February 1954,
Brighton Works, England
Power Classification - 4MT (Mixed Traffic)
Driving Wheel Diameter - 5ft 8in
Pony and Trailing Wheel Diameter - 3ft
Length - 36ft 10 in
Cylinders - 18in x 28in
Walchaerts valve gear
Tractive Effort - 25,100lbs
Weight in working order - 88 tons 10cwts
Boiler Pressure - 225 PSI
Water Capacity - 2000 Gallons
Coal Capacity - 3 tons 10 cwt

80078 appeared from Brighton Works on the 2nd February 1954 as part of lot 5788, which was made up of 10 engines for the Eastern region. The cost of the engine was just £17,364. It was first allocated to Plaistow shed on the London, Tilbury and Southend lines, working out of Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness. When steam finished on these lines, the engine transferred to the Western region in 1962, before being absorbed into the Midland region in 1963. During its' time on the Western, it worked from a number of sheds and even teamed up with her sisters 80079 and 80080 for a time.

Croes Newydd (89B and later 6C) was to be 80078's final allocation and following a period of storage at this shed, the engine was finally withdrawn on the 24th July 1965, at only 11 years old. Following a period of time on a number of scrap lines, 80078 finally arrived at Barry Scrapyard in June 1966.

The locomotive remained at Barry for 10 years before being purchased by the Southern Steam Trust and departing in September 1976, and arriving at Swanage a few days later. Restoration started in 1978 and continued through the 1980s and early 1990s. Following an amalgamation with Southern Locomotives Ltd in 1995 and the completion of sister loco 80104 in 1997, 80078's restoration progressed rapidly until completion in November 1999 when it became the 99th Barry engine to be returned to steam. Since then it has operated alongside 80104 on the Swanage Railway, as well as making occasional visits to other railways. 80078 visited the Spa Valley for three weeks in September 2004 where it starred in our Mixed Traction Gala.

Livery - Lined BR black with early crest

Current Status - Visited September - October 2004

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