New Irish home for Kettering steam locomotive with hopes it will make railway return

A steam locomotive that was used at Kettering’s old furnaces is set to have a new home – with hopes it will make a return to the railway.

Kettering Furnaces No. 3, built in 1885, spent its working life at the Warren Hill site and was last fired up in the early 1960s.

It was transferred to the Penrhyn Castle Railway Museum, where it has been preserved indoors by the National Trust.

But the locomotive is now being donated to Waterford & Suir Valley Railway (WSVR) in Ireland – who plan to restore it to its former glory and return it to operation.

Waterford & Suir Valley Railway Company CLG’s voluntary director and company secretary, Alan Moore, said: “We are so grateful to the National Trust for transferring ownership of the Kettering Furnaces No. 3 locomotive to us.

"We hope to do them proud as we endeavour to restore this beautiful locomotive to its former glory and to put it back into operation.”

The narrow gauge steam locomotive was built by Black, Hawthorn & Co and worked on the 3ft Kettering Coal and Iron Company system.

The Kettering furnaces closed in 1959 but the railway continued to operate until 1962.

WSVR have asked Northants Telegraph readers to contact them by emailing [email protected] if they have photographs or videos of Kettering Coal and Iron Company Ltd with the Kettering Furnaces No. 3 locomotive in operation, or memories of seeing it operating, so they can tell the story behind the locomotive.

It will require considerable work to bring it back to full operating condition and the locomotive will be stripped down and fully assessed. Its restoration will be carried out in several phases, with the total restoration estimated to cost €250,000. With ambitions to see it pulling trains along the track near Waterford, a number of infrastructural changes at Kilmeadan Station will be required to facilitate operating with steam.

Maria Kyte, Waterford & Suir Valley Railway Company CLG’s general manager, said: “This is an amazing milestone for Waterford & Suir Valley Railway Company CLG, but it is also a huge commitment for the company.

"Several companies who specialise in the restoration of heritage locomotives were invited to tender for the restoration of Kettering Furnaces No. 3. The successful tender was submitted by a company in England which has extensive experience in the manufacture of new build locomotives as well as the restoration of steam locomotives similar to the Kettering Furnaces No. 3 locomotive.

"The board are satisfied it will be in very safe hands.”

Waterford & Suir Valley Railway Company CLG will fundraise for each phase of the work and donations can be made at https://www.idonate.ie/cause/WaterfordSuirValleyRailwayCompanyCLG.