- Class: U
- Wheels: 2-6-0
- Built: 1931
- Numbers Carried: A638, 1638, 31638
- Last Overhaul Completed: February 2006
- Last Operational: 4 July 2015
- Current Status: Static display, awaiting overhaul, on long-term loan to the Maunsell Locomotive Society
- Owned By: Bluebell Railway
)
One of two U-class locomotives on the Bluebell Railway, both coming via Barry scrapyard, this one was privately purchased and donated to the Bluebell. It has been placed on long-term loan to the Maunsell Locomotive Society, who also own 1618, and was their main restoration project for over a decade. Having lost its tender while at Barry, a new one has been built, starting from the remains of a snowplough which in turn had been created using a Schools class locomotive tender as its base. The loco steamed for the first time in preservation in February 2006.
It was always expected that the locomotive would need major work after about seven years of use, and indeed over the winter of 2012/13 a partial boiler-lift and some re-staying was undertaken, followed by further copper welding on the firebox later in 2013. It was not expected to remain in service for the whole of the remaining period of its “ten-year” ticket, and after a very good nine-and-a-half years bearing the brunt of our front-line services, with several relatively minor faults and a hydraulic boiler test required if repairs were carried out, it was decided, rather than committing workshop time and money to gain a few months extra on its boiler certificate, that it was sensible to use those resources in expediting the overhaul of ‘Camelot’.
→ Find out more
→ Details of 2006 overhaul
→ The Maunsell Locomotive Society
