GWR 4900 Class 4936 Kinlet Hall

Infobox Locomotive
name=4936 "Kinlet Hall"
powertype=Steam
gauge=RailGauge|sg


caption=4936 "Kinlet Hall" on display at Crewe Works open day on 1st June 2003.
railroad=
officialname=
railroadclass=4900 'Hall' Class
builddate=June 1929
roadnumber=
currentowner=
disposition=
retiredate=January 1964

The Great Western Railway steam locomotive no. 4936 "Kinlet Hall" is a 4-6-0 Hall class locomotive, built in June 1929 at Swindon Works.

It was withdrawn from service with British Railways in 1964 and sold for scrap to Woodham's Scrapyard in Barry. Nearly twenty years later, in 1981, it was saved for preservation by the Kinlet Hall Locomotive Company and moved to Peak Rail at Matlock where restoration work began. It was moved to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway in 1985, followed by the Llangollen Railway in 1992. In 1996 it was moved to Tyseley Locomotive Works for final restoration.

The locomotive returned to operational condition in February 2000, and following certification for main line operation it made several main line trips to various parts of the country – sometimes in company with fellow Tyseley resident 4965 Rood Ashton Hall. It was on loan to its former home, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, for much of the 2004/2005 operating season.

Kinlet Hall remained at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for the start of the 2006 operating season before returning to Tyseley in the summer for a series of scheduled main line trips. However, due to circumstances entirely beyond the control of the engine's owners, only the trip on 1 July went ahead – a memorable return excursion to Holyhead.

On 19 September 2006 Kinlet Hall moved to Ropley to take part in the Mid-Hants Railway's Autumn Gala.

One final main line trip later in the year was to Barrow Hill Engine Shed, where it appeared alongside other Tyseley engines GWR 4900 Class 4953 Pitchford Hall and 4965 Rood Ashton Hall as well as other locos at the open days on 21/22 October. Back at Tyseley fitting of on-train monitoring recorder (OTMR) equipment and a full retube was undertaken during the first part of 2007 in preparation for a further series of main line excursions due to start in late July.

In September 2007 the locomotive moved to the Severn Valley Railway for a short stay and took part in the railway's gala event on 22/23 September, which took place despite the flood damage to that line during the summer. While there it operated 'The Severn Valley Phoenix' excursion trains from Bewdley to Birmingham Moor Street.

In December 2007 the engine moved to the East Lancs Railway where it performed regularly until March. However following a minor collision incident it had to return to Tyseley for repairs and a thorough examination, which meant it could not make a planned visit to the Great Central Railway in April.

With its front buffer beam, buffers and intermediate drawgear repaired the engine made its way to the East Somerset Railway on 26 June 2008, where it took an active part in the 'Cranmore 150' rail festival organised by the ESR in conjunction with Mendip Rail on 21/22 June. The events of the weekend included hauling heavy trains of mineral wagons out of Merehead Quarry.

4936 returned to Tyseley on 23 June in time to take part in the 'Tyseley 100' anniversary celebrations over the weekend of 28/29 June.

On Sunday 13 July 4936 was the motive power for Vintage Trains' 'Shakespeare Express', a double return journey from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon.

On Saturday 19 July 4936 it worked the 'Burton Mail', a return journey from Tyseley to Ely via Burton. The following day it again worked the 'Shakespeare Express'.

Events pencilled in for the rest of 2008 include another trip to the Mid-Hants Railway in August/September and an excursion from the midlands to Newport via Hereford in October.

External links

* [http://www.kinlethall.co.uk/ Kinlet Hall Locomotive Company Ltd.]