Strathspey Steam Railway's remarkable work restoring loco is rewarded
As the Oscars were being handed out, one was making its way to Strathspey.
Our own railway company’s epic rebuild of Black Five Steam Locomotive 5025 – the oldest survivor in its class – took top honours at the Heritage Railway Association’s ‘Oscars’ ceremony, claiming the Coiley Locomotive Engineering Award in a record year for entries.
The award, a brass plaque, has now arrived in Aviemore to be displayed proudly by Nathan Lightowler, who accepted it in Birmingham on behalf of the Watkinson Trust and the Strathspey Railway.
The plaque commemorating “this outstanding achievement” will be mounted on 5025’s tender.
It was May last year that the magnificent loco moved under its own steam for the first time in 18 years, after a fundraising campaign by the WEC Watkinson Trust, its caretakers, and one of the most comprehensive overhauls ever undertaken on a preserved locomotive.
5025 entered service on the Highland Main Line soon after it was built by the Vulcan Foundry in 1934. Its first job of work was on Wednesday, September 5, 1934 hauling the 12.12pm Perth to Inverness via Forres.
So from Aviemore it would have travelled over what is now the Strathspey Railway.
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