Matt Ditch Photography Blog

 Head, Wrightson & Co No.21/ Seaham Harbour Dock Company No.16  No.21 was built in 1870 by Head, Wrightson & Co as No.21 at their Teesdale Ironworks in Stockton-on-Tees for the Londonderry Railway to work at Seaham Harbour in County Durham, just south of Sunderland. In 1899 the Londonderry Railway became part of the North Eastern Railway. And in 1900 the Seaham Harbour Dock Company Ltd was formed and the locomotive passed into their ownership, where it became No.16. It remained at Seaham until 1959 when it was sold back to Head, Wrightson & Co. Who restored it to how it would have looked when built. Today the loco is on static display in Preston Park near Stockton. Sister engines No.33/17 and No.1 are based at Beamish museum. No.1, which is nearly identical to 21 is operational and steamed regularly (pictured below).

Event recap: Beamish Museum - "Coffee Pot 150"  01/05/21 Beamish museum held their first event since 2019 on the 1st of May 2021. The event was to celebrate the 150th birthday of the museums resident "Coffee Pot" No.1. Which, was built in 1871 by  Head Wrightson & Co Ltd in Teesside for  Dorking Greystone Lime Company for use at Betchworth Quarry. It is believed that the engine was in use up till 1949, although some reports suggest that it was dismantled for inspection in 1950 and returned to steam, steaming till 1952 when it was withdrawn. In 1960, it was repurchased by its makers and along with 2 other "Coffee Pots" both from Seaham. These were No's.21 and 33, which is also a Beamish resident. No.21 is now on static display at Preston Park near Thornaby. No.1 was offered to Beamish Museum in 1962 but did not arrive at the museum till 1970. Between 1962 and 1970 it was stored at British steels Consett Ironworks. At Beamish it was restored to opera