Built: February 1957
Withdrawn: December 1967
Arrived Barry: September 1968
Departed Barry: July 1974
The 76000 series of Moguls were first introduced in 1952 and soon showed themselves to be good modern
locomotives with a high route availability. Although the Southern-based members
of the class were more often seen on passenger work, the design was biased towards goods traffic, as evidenced by the relatively
small diameter driving wheels. However, like most BR Standard classes, they were
destined to lead very short lives with the mass destruction of steam power in the late 1960’s.
No 76079 was built at the Horwich works of the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in February 1957 and entered service with the London Midland
region at Sutton Oak shed. The five representatives of the class based there
were mainly used on freight duties, although one of there regular diagrams took them from St Helens to Warrington
and on to Chester with a local passenger service, working
back home with the morning Hooton to Heaton Mersey freight empties. In December
1960 No 76079 was noted as far south as Bristol(St Philips Marsh) but after having spent the night on Barrow Road shed it
returned north with a parcels train. This was a fairly unusual incident, and
the 2-6-0 could more normally be found in the Liverpool area, in particular on the sand trains for Pilkingtons glass works
at St Helens, although by mid-1965 it regularly travelled further afield with North Wales coal trains along the Chester to
Holyhead line. After more than 10 years at Sutton Oak, No 76079 was transferred
to Wigan(Springs Branch) in june 1967 where the duties were mainly concerned with mineral
and general goods traffic, but it only lasted on this work for six months, being withdrawn at the end of the year. In company with three other Standard Moguls from Wigan, it was towed to
Barry Scrapyard behind the inevitable diesel locomotive, arriving there in September 1968.
No 76079 was taken to Steamport, Southport in July 1974 (The 59th Locomotive
to be rescued from Barry) and initially went on display as a static exhibit. Subsequently privately owned, it was moved to
a site undercover in Liverpool where rebuilding was carried out.
No 76079 is now owned
by Riley and Son(e) Ltd, where it is fully restored and mainline registered. It is a busy engine, regularly performing on
the "Whitby Endevour" for the North Yorshire Moors Railway, aswell as other charters up and down the counrty. It is available
for hire direct from us, just click the "Contact Us" page.
