The Churnet Valley Railway has announced that its line is now home to three United States Army Transportation Corps (USATC) S160s, with No.3278 arriving recently. Following an agreement being made with Batt Holden, they have become custodians of 3278.
Credit: CVR
Now 3278 has arrived at the railway, both Churnet Valley Railway volunteers and Batt Holden staff will continue with the locomotive’s overhaul at Cheddleton Motive Power Depot (MPD) to running order. The engine was last in steam back in 1999, awaiting an overhaul for much of its time since then.
Credit: Dave Gibson Photography
3278 has seen action across the globe, being designed and built in the USA, before transported to the UK to support the war effort.
Credit: CVR
Initially used on the London and North Eastern Railway and Great Western Railway, 3278 then moved over to mainland Europe, where the engine spent time in several countries before returning to the UK in the 1980s.
Churnet Valley's two other S160s on Shed
Credit: CVR
S160 No 1649 on a heavy train of oil tankers with 5700 Class 0-6-0PT banking as it enters the branch line to Thame and Princes Risborough at Kennington Junction in the 1940s
(Rodney Pitt Collection)