Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST "Horden" test runs. And history of the loco.

 

Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST "Horden" 

On Sunday I was fortunate enough to see my first steam loco of the year. It was also my first opportunity to see newly restored Andrew Barclay "Horden" in steam. The engine has been painstakingly restored over the past several years by the volunteers at the Tanfield railway, where the loco will be based. 

"Horden" was built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co in 1904 with the works number 1015. It was built for the Horden Colliers LTD in County Durham. During Horden's working life it was based at the companies collieries at Horden, Shotton and Blackhall. She was also the only Durham area locomotive to be sent to the Ashington Central workshop for repair. To avoid paying the North Eastern Railways' movement charges the loco was once moved by road using four track panels. 

Horden became a National Coal Board engine in 1947 while it was based at Shotton Colliery. It was at Shotton where Horden took on a Q6 0-8-0 and won! 

Horden also worked with another Tanfield resident, "Stagshaw". An 0-6-0ST built locally by Hawthorn Leslie. Horden was sold to the Stephenson Hawthorn Locomotive Trust in 1972 and moved to Backworth Colliery in Northumbria for storage. It later moved to Burradon Colliery and then back to Backworth before arriving at Marley Hill on the Tanfield Railway in 1980. 

Horden sat in the yard at Marley hill till 2012 when restoration to working order commenced. The below shot taken in 2010 shows the engine waiting for work to start. The engine undertook its first loaded test train on the 11th April 2021, it was probably the first time the engine had hauled coaches as well.

More pictures from the day can be found here and here. Please click below to watch a video from the day.

If you’ve enjoyed this then please consider supporting this website so that I can continue to deliver new content like this. Patreon and Ko-Fi