The first time I saw this locomotive was 45 years ago, when it
was a very sad specimen in Barry scrapyard. The early
tentative efforts to resuscitate some of the better
locomotives had already begun, and I can clearly recall my
thoughts on that day in October 1968. 71000 - gosh, no
(outside) cylinders! That’ll never go again. Neither will that
King (6023) with its wheel cut. Galatea gradually
deteriorated, losing chimney and smokebox door, and like the
King it suffered a cut driving wheel. It certainly wasn’t a
strong candidate for preservation by the end of its stay.
The Barry story needs no retelling. Suffice it to say that 45699
escaped, though its early years in preservation were somewhat
precarious - it was bought as a possible source of a spare boiler
for 5690 “Leander”.
I’d more-or-less forgotten about the locomotive - until earlier
this year, when I read of its test runs as a fully-restored main-
line locomotive. One to keep an eye open for... It was one of the
listed pool of four from which the loco for today’s “Welsh Border
Steam Special” would be drawn. Fingers crossed! I would have
gone to see the train anyway, but it was especially good to see
and hear this beautifully-restored locomotive galloping along
through the Shropshire countryside.
Link:
LMS Jubilee Class 5699 Galatea on Wikipedia
