BR “Avocet”
BR “Avocet”
So good they preserved it -twice...
This locomotive is unique -it was a "demonstrator" for Brush Traction. It is also a locomotive that has followed me around in my life... I first saw it at Derby Loco works -it was actually quite obvious(!) There was a "sparky" in the middle of the loco works and not a catenary for miles around... It worked its time on the BR lines and was retired to the Midland Counties Railway Centre at Butterley. Then with privatisation it was hauled back into service with GNER, who then sold it back into preservation to the AC Traction Group -who have her at Barrow Hill.
And this is where I come in... At Barrow Hill they have the Rail Ale festival which combines a walk around looking at locos and rolling stock with drinking rare and unusual brews -the perfect combination!!! Well at the 4th Rail Ale festival there was the sole member of the Class 89 -still with the GNER blue and red paintwork. In order to raise the funds for her the AC group was selling shares in it -and I bought TWO.
Well time passed and I admit that my two shares joined the other collection of shares in the bottom of my draw -the ones for the Great Central Railway and the RHDR etc. Then I went to the 7th Rail Ale Festival and my two shares repaid me in dividends. For there on the platform, was the freshly re-painted Avocet, in BR "Swallow" livery...
As a C0-C0 loco it would not be too hard to build. It was very powerful for a mid 80's loco and could have hauled carriages in the day time and freight at night. It has some unfortunate "baggage" with it -one is the fact that it was named Avocet by the then Prime Minister Mrs Thatcher and the other it has the nickname "the Badger". However I do like it and it would be a unique part of my railway, a model of a real loco that I have seen, sat in, and have part ownership of, (along with fourteen hundred other people!)
