The most recent addition to the Mid Hants Railway fleet was acquired from Glamorgan Council in exchange for our ex-Bricklayers Arms turntable, which they intend to install at Barry as part of their plan to turn it into a mainline destination.
After initially being based at Brighton, 80150 was allocated to Eastleigh shed and reportedly was later at Guildford, though there is some doubt about this. Mid Hants driver and former Eastleigh fireman Bob Cartwright remembers working van trains with 80150 in the 1960s and picking up watercress from Alresford, making the locomotive historically perfect for our line as well as being powerful and economical.
80150 was sold to Woodham Brothers of Barry in January 1966 and was the last of the class to be saved from the scrapyard, being purchased by the Wales Railway Centre of Cardiff in 1988. It was moved back to Barry for storage in 1993 following some cosmetic work. As a result, it is in reasonable condition considering how long it has been since the locomotive was withdrawn from service. 80150 moved from Barry to the Mid Hants, arriving at Alresford in January 2011.
Our Standard 4 tank has been heavily stripped of parts, so any help regarding the whereabouts and availability of suitable components would be greatly appreciated. Please contact us at friendsof80150@watercressline.co.uk; we’d love to hear from you.
A support group, “Friends Of 80150”, was formed in December 2016 and has since carried out much work to conserve the locomotive, including fitting of parts already made by the team working on Standard 4 75079.
Want to find out more about the loco and the restoration team? Watch our short film here.
We have Special Days all year round at the Watercress Line. From family-friendly events such as Day Out With Thomas to evening dining experiences through the heart of Hampshire.
We have Events and Themed Days throughout the year at The Watercress Line. Click below to find out more.
