THE WEC WATKINSON TRUST
LATEST NEWS

HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND SUPPORT FOR RESTORATION OF 5025

In November 2011 the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £50,000 towards the restoration of 5025. This followed the grant, also of £50,000, from the Strathspey Railway Trust and a promise of support of £9,000 from the Strathspey Railway Association.

These grants are in addition to the £128,000 promised by the Strathspey Railway Company, the £74,250 already contributed by our supporters and the £17,500 which we anticipate from the regular standing orders we receive over the next four years. We still have to raise £25,300 to reach the target of £354,000 for the locomotive’s restoration.

The boiler has been removed from the locomotive and the Trust will shortly be awarding a contract for its overhaul. An order will also be placed for a new tender tank.

RESTORATION Work Has Started on LMS BLACK 5 NO 5025

The WEC Watkinson Trust has now started the four year restoration programme to return 5025 to working order on the Strathspey Railway. The overhaul is being be carried out at Aviemore shed.

It has been possible to start the overhaul thanks to the promise of substantial support from the Strathspey Railway Company, the Strathspey Railway Trust, the Strathspey Railway Association and those who have donated over £60,000 towards the project.

75% of the estimated £330,000 needed for the restoration to working order has now been raised. An application is being made to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a grant towards the remaining sum needed. It is also hoped that, now that the overhaul has started, further railway enthusiasts will support the appeal to enable the oldest surviving ‘Black Five’ to return to service on the Strathspey .

Friday 28th May 2010

Trust supporters enjoyed a ride on a special train to mark the centenary of the birth of Ted Watkinson, who was born on 31st May 1910.  The train was hauled by 0-6-0T No17 Braeriach, departing from Aviemore at 12.30.

On arrival at Broomhill the trust chairman, Neil sinclair, spoke to the supporters about WEC Watkinson who contributed much to railway preservation in Scotland.  Ted Watkinson helped to establish, first the Scottish Railway Preservation Society, then the Strathspey Railway, as credible organisations.

 On its return the train called at the old Speyside platform, this was to enable the passengers to visit the shed.  LMS Black five No 5025 was on display outside, having been cleaned especially for the occasion.  Inside the carriage shed the group was able to view the progress on caledonian 0-6-0 No 828 which is in the final stages of a repaint following a major restoration to running order.

Centenary of WEC Watkinson

30th May is the centenary of the birth of Ted Watkinson who was responsible for the preservation of the locomotive and rolling stock which the Trust now cares for. A special train for the Trust’s supporters is being run on the Strathspey Railway on 28th May. It is hoped that this train will be hauled by the newly restored Caledonian Railway 0-6-0, 812 Class No. 828 and will convey the Trusts LMS District engineer’s saloon.

In addition there are two articles being published to mark this event.

The first, by Mike Dalby, appeared in the February 2010 edition Safety Fast!, the official publication of the MG Car Club, concentrates on Ted Watkinson’s role in motoring competitions in the 1930s. He became very successful driving MGs in motor trials, both in England and abroad and won the Glacier Cup in the 1932 Alpine Trial. In the 1933 Alpine Trial he was part of the MG team which was awarded the team prize for its class. He also owned an Alvis Speed 20 tourer and won a number of awards driving this in RAC Rallies.

The second article by Neil Sinclair looks primarily at Ted Watkinson’s railway interests and will appear in a future edition of Heritage Railways, possibly in June. It traces Ted’s fascination with railways in the Highlands after the holidays he spent in Nairn in the late 1920s. It also shows that he was a supporter of railway preservation from its inception, as he was one of the first members of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. He was an early member of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society and became its first President after providing a loan to purchase the Caledonian Railway

0-4-4 T No 419 and financing its restoration.

The Heritage Railways article also details Ted Watkinson’s unsuccessful attempts to restore the Highland Railway 4-4-0 Ben Alder. Fortunately he was successful in securing the preservation of the last two Highland Railway vehicles – the six wheel coupé and the Trust’s brake van, both of which are now on display in the Scottish Railway exhibition in Bo’ness.