West Lancashire Locomotive Trust – About Us.

The West Lancashire Locomotive Trust is a Registered Charity (registration number 1091983) formed to advance the education of the public in the preservation, operation, restoration, maintenance and history of Narrow Gauge Railway Locomotives and associated equipment. The Trust relies on public donations and locomotive operating fees for the restoration and maintenance of its locomotives. 

The origins of the West Lancashire Locomotive Trust go back to 1967 when six, young enthusiasts formed the West Lancashire Light Railway Group to preserve then fast disappearing narrow gauge railway heritage.  The endeavour thrived and was successful in saving several locomotives and establishing a short working railway. 

The West Lancashire Locomotive Trust was established in 2001 by the members of the West Lancashire Light Railway Group thereby safeguarding the long-term future of their locomotives.  At the same time the Group formed the West Lancashire Light Railway Trust to be responsible for the operation of the Railway going forward and passed over the other assets to enable this to happen.

Locomotives currently under the ownership or care of the trust include:

IRISH MAIL

Hunslet 0-4-0 Works No. 823 0f 1903 – Ex Dinorwic Quarries, Llanberis, North Wales.

JOFFRE

Kerr Stuart 0-6- 0 Works No. 2405 of 1915 – Ex French Army and Carrières de la Vallée Heureuse et du Haut-Banc, Pas-de-Calais, Northern France.

CLYWD

Ruston & Honsby 4 Wheel Diesel Works No. 264251 of 1951- Ex Burscough Brick & Tile Co, Burscough, Lancashire.

TAWD

Ruston & Hornsby 4 Wheel Diesel Works No. 222074 of 1943 – Ex Burscough Brick & Tile Co, Burscough, Lancashire.

BRADFIELD

F C Hibberd Ltd – 4 Wheel Petrol Locomotive Works No. 1777 of 1931 – Ex Sheffield Waterworks, Low Bradfield, Yorkshire.

CHEETAL

John Fowler 0-6-0 Works No. 15991 of 1923 – Ex Karachi Port Trust and Upper India Sugar Mills, Khatauli, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Activities

Our activities accord with the objects of the charitable trust and include:

  • The acquisition, restoration and operation of narrow gauge railway locomotives and equipment. The Trust has developed considerable experience in the restoration of steam and internal combustion locomotives from derelict condition to good working order.
  • Research in relation to the locomotives and other assets of the Trust and the places and context where these were used.
  • Quality restoration work which has a focus on authenticity, documentation and any changes made during the working lives of the assets.
  • Dissemination of information to the public about the Trust’s locomotives and other assets, seeking to engage people in this aspect of Britain’s heritage so that they benefit through increased knowledge and that the heritage has a sustainable future. The Trust seeks to do this through our locomotives visiting other railways and venues as well as through events, news and information reports and through this website.
  • Where appropriate the Trust will work with other organisations and individuals to enhance understanding of this area of engineering and social heritage. However, in doing so, it will at all times ensure that its own charitable objects and activities are not conflicted in any way.
  • The raising of funds to support the restoration and maintenance of the assets of the Trust.

Our Locomotive Locations

Our locomotives are normally kept at the West Lancashire Light Railway, Hesketh Bank. The Trust’s locomotives have visited numerous other railways and venues. These include the following:

  • The Ffestiniog Railway.
  • The Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.
  • The Bala Lake Railway.
  • The Llanberis Lake Railway.
  • The South Tynedale Railway.
  • Threlkeld Quarrying and Mining Museum.
  • Statfold Barn Railway.
  • Leighton Buzzard Railway.
  • The Apedale Light Railway.
  • The Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway.
  • Hunslet, Leeds. To celebrate 150 years since the founding of the Hunslet Engine Company.
  • Le P’tit Train de la Haute Somme, APPEVA, Froissy – Cappy – Dompiere, Northern France.
  • Chemin de fer de Rillé ’, AECFM, Rillé, Indre-et-Loire, Central France.
  • Stoomtrein Maldegam, Flanders, Belgium.

Please see our Links page to access the websites of these railways.

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