BR ‘4MT’ 2 ‐ 6‐4T No. 80064 is set to steam again for the first time in over 30 years at the West Somerset Railway, after its owning group donated the locomotive to the WSR Association.
The 1951-built locomotive, which left its long-time Bluebell Railway home on November 29, has been owned by the 80064 Loco Fund since 1972, when it was rescued from Barry. However, owing to “bereavements in the membership”, the group has decided to close and donate both the Riddles Class 4 tank and its other assets to the WSRA. The move back to the West Country brings No. 80064’s preservation story almost full circle, as it was initially based at the then Dart Valley Railway (now the South Devon Railway) upon leaving Barry in December 1972. Restoration started early the following year, with the tank returning to steam in 1981. In 1992/3, the 2 ‐ 6‐4T ran on the Paignton-Kingswear line which, at the time, was also owned by the DVR. In March 1984, No. 80064 relocated to the Bluebell Railway, running there until late 1990 when its boiler ‘ticket’ expired. It has lain out of use ever since, stored in the locomotive shed at Sheffield Park.
Explaining the decision to dissolve the fund and donate the locomotive to the WSRA, chairman Colin Turner and secretary Martin Nichols said: “The fund’s membership was not very active after restoration had been completed, and less so after the engine came out of service. This was mainly owed to being located some 170 miles from the base of its restoration. During the intervening 32 years, we have seen our membership decline and because of this, our constitution places us under obligation to identify a suitable recipient for the locomotive.
“The fund has been approached by other railways over the years, but by returning the locomotive to the West Country and donating it to a charitable trust that supports an operating steam railway, the remaining fund members can satisfy this instruction. Additionally, it will give almost all the present fund members and the families of past members, plus man
