© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2014

The Leeds builders named this class of locomotive “Ganges”. Not in India, but in Ghana, Africa, no. 1238 fell into a river during a storm in 1948. Sadly, its driver was killed, but that was not the end for the locomotive. Abandoned and upside-down, it was rediscovered some 48 years later, rescued and placed on static display. It remained there for several more years, until, having been donated to the Moseley Railway Trust, it was repatriated in 2008. After a short period of display at Apedale, the rebuild began. While some new components would obviously be required, in particular the boiler. motion and most of the non-ferrous parts, as much as possible would remain of the original. Today’s celebrations at Statfold marked the end of that process, with a formal return to steam for members of the Trust. After short and apt speeches by chairman Phil Robinson and leader of the rebuild team Martyn Ashworth, HC 1238 of 1916 was  launched back into active service.

It won’t be at Statfold for long - 1238 is due back at Apedale for the “Tracks to the Trenches” event next month - but it’s without doubt a great place for a thorough run-in, with the opportunity for a good gallop around Statfold’s well-laid main line. Similar sister Hudswell GP39 (the loco formerly known as Bronllwyd, HC 1643 of 1930) would accompany it (and, I’m guessing now, provide a means of operating the train’s brakes) - and gallop it did. If the first moves seemed just a touch tentative, the little black locomotive was running well by the end of the afternoon... ...but we can’t keep calling it “1238”, can we? It needs a name. How about “Kofe”, as a memorial to the unfortunate driver who truly met his end in 1948 - and, by a curious chain of events, ensured that the locomotive survived? It’s almost certain that, had it not fallen into the river, it would have been scrapped many years ago. Link: Moseley Railway Trust