Press Office

Thanks for the memories!

As the National Railway Museum’s (NRM) celebration of the swinging sixties, ‘1968 and all that’, draws to a finish this weekend, the museum is thanking the members of the public who have sent in their steamy memories.

As part of the preparation for the 9-day gala celebrating the 40th anniversary of the official end of BR steam, the NRM launched an appeal to find the people that were personally involved in steam’s swansong.

As the event, which includes live music, live theatre, train rides, a real ale bar and shire horses as well as iconic locomotives from across the UK, is drawing to a close, the file of letters, photos and other reminiscences will now be accessioned into the museum’s rich archive of railway history.

Catherine Farrell, from the museum said:

“We have received hundreds of letters and photos and once our 40th anniversary is over we will begin the process of accessioning these precious memories into Search Engine, our multi-million pound archive and research centre where they will be accessible to the British public. As our post bag is already full we are now gradually bringing the project to a close.”

Many of the reminiscences involved Oliver Cromwell, the iconic locomotive which pulled the last ever BR steam hauled train on August 11 1968 booking her place in the history books. The ‘steam survivor’ which is fresh from a 4 year restoration project down at Great Central Railway, is star of the NRM’s half term extravaganza and enjoyed a midday musket salute at the weekend from members of Colonel Edward Montagu’s Regiment of Foote, a roundhead regiment of the English Civil War Society.

Event organiser Matt Thompson said:

”There’s plenty for everyone to enjoy during the rest of our half-term sixties extravaganza and it’s guaranteed to be a fantastic day out for the whole family, especially as kids go free! The end of steam was an important date in history, so there is a real sense of occasion at this event. Visitors can take a ride on a steam train, stand on the footplates of many other historic locomotives, watch a special live theatre performance, meet some heavy horses and enjoy a BBQ, soul music and real ale.”

Notes for editors

  • No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell was the iconic locomotive that pulled the last ever steam-hauled train on 11 August 1968. The footplate is fully accessible to the public for the first time since completion of a four year restoration project during the event.
  • Colonel Edward Montagu’s Regiment of Foote is a Roundhead Regiment of The English Civil War Society and is a family friendly regiment based mainly around Leeds and Manchester.
  • Locomotives at the event include:
    • Oliver Cromwell 70013 - the last steam express locomotive in service
    • Evening Star 92220 - the last steam locomotive built for British Railways
    • Clun Castle 7029 – the last steam locomotive to haul a train out of Paddington
    • Hunslet Trangkil No 4 - the last ever commercially built British steam locomotive
    • Super D 49395 NER Q6 63395
    • K4 61994
    • Robinson O4 63601
    • J94 No 49
    • Beattie Well Tank 30587
    • Class 20 D8000
    • Class 31
    • Class 52 Class 83
    • Railbus No E79960
    • DMU DMC 51562 and DMBS 51922
    • Deltic D9019
  • Oliver Cromwell, which is part of the NRM’s collection, has reached the end of a 4 year restoration project at the Great Central Railway at Loughborough ready for her star appearance at the museum’s event.
  • Oliver Cromwell became the very last steam locomotive to be overhauled at Crewe and by the end of the year she became the very last Pacific in service. The mighty locomotive took her place in the history books when she was chosen to haul The Fifteen Guinea Special between Liverpool Lime Street and Carlisle.
  • The restoration and return to steam of Oliver Cromwell is a partnership between the National Railway Museum, 5305 Locomotive Association and Loughborough Standard Locomotive Group, Steam Railway Magazine, the Great Central Railway and the Friends of the National Railway Museum.
  • Generous supporters of the restoration project include: Welbeck Sixth Form Defence College, Cromwell Tools, 4c Systems Ltd, The Main Line Steam Trust, the David Clarke Railway Trust and Mr Bill Ford, President of the Great Central Railway.

May 2008