Restoration beckons as second Furness Railway 0-4-0ST joins trust collection

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FORGOTTEN Barrow Haematite Iron & Steel Co 0-4-0ST No. 17 – better known as former Furness Railway 0-4-0 tender locomotive No. 25 – will be restored to working order after being donated to the Furness Railway Trust (FRT) collection.

The locomotive was built by Sharp, Stewart & Co in 1865 as one of a batch of eight 0-4-0 tender locomotives supplied to the Furness Railway between 1863 and 1866. It is the sister engine to the FRT’s No. 20, which was built as part of the same batch in 1863.

Former Furness Railway No. 15 (BHSCo No.17) as exhibited at Stonecross School in Ulverston. Alan Headech/Cumbrian Railways Association

However, No. 25’s life with the FR was short-lived and, being too small to be of practical use, it was sold in 1870 – along with five of its classmates, including No. 20 – to the Barrow Haematite Iron & Steel Co. It was rebuilt as an 0-4-0ST, with smaller driving wheels, and given the fleet number 17 (No. 20 becoming No. 7), and went on to give an impressive 90 years’ service to the Lakeland steelworks.

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