Home / Arts and Entertainment / Film Star Locomotive Gets £200k Restoration Boost
Film Star Locomotive Gets £200k Restoration Boost
17 Jan
Summary
- An anonymous donor gifted £200,000 for steam engine No 5775's restoration.
- The locomotive famously appeared in the classic 1970 film 'The Railway Children'.
- The engine has been out of service for approximately 25 years.
A significant £200,000 donation from an anonymous benefactor has been received by the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR). This generous gift is earmarked for the restoration of steam engine No 5775, an engine best known for its starring role in the 1970 film 'The Railway Children'. The locomotive, built in 1929, has been non-operational for approximately 25 years.
The donation has dramatically reshaped the project's schedule. Fran Hartley, co-leader of the restoration, expressed immense gratitude, stating the gift enables the commencement of work on an engine that holds deep meaning for the railway and the public. Volunteers are now actively engaged in restoring the remarkable engine.
This restoration effort coincides with a £5m government funding release administered by Bradford Council, aimed at upgrading the KWVR infrastructure. The initial £50,000 tranche will fund a feasibility study for improvements to track, signalling, and facilities, supporting the railway's broader goals of boosting tourism and local employment.
