The Bluebell Railway in Sussex plans to celebrate the 150th birthday of its Terrier Class locomotive No.72 Fenchurch with a special event at the end of July.
The celebrations take place from Friday, 29th to Sunday, 31st July. They start with a special “Birthday Bash” event that celebrates the history of transport during the last 150 years.
There will be STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) workshops, family activities and workshops, children's authors, and displays by a variety of vintage transport from air, sea, land, and rail, plus special guest visiting locomotives. For children, there will be free history of transport trails that will help them trace a timeline from Fenchurch to the future.
Terrier locomotives such as Stepney and Fenchurch have a great appeal to youngsters. Stepney is already on display in the SteamWorks! exhibition at Sheffield Park Station where visitors can step up to the engine's footplate. Now the railway is looking forward to Fenchurch steaming once more.
Known for their distinctive ‘bark' sound when running, Terriers were aptly named. As part of the event, the railway is making all dogs welcome and are holding a fun dog show for terriers, non-terriers, and terriers in disguise.
Go to https://www.bluebell-railway.com/terrier-150/ for more information and to book tickets.
During the event, two other Terriers will be visiting the railway, Poplar from The Kent and East Sussex Railway and Newport from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
To celebrate the event, the railway has commissioned a stop-motion animation by up-and-coming filmmaker Max Davies. It follows the little locomotive from a cold and lifeless existence in storage, being shunted into the Bluebell Railway's locomotive workshop at Sheffield Park Station, then emerging as a happy and steaming Brighton Terrier once again.
Ruth Rowatt, Marketing and Communications Manager, The Bluebell Railway, said: “It was wonderful to work with Max, he has a great understanding of what the Bluebell Railway is all about, a superb eye for detail, plus a great sense of fun in his animation. Watch out Aardman Animations, Max is right behind you!”
Geoff Mee, Chairman Bluebell Railway PLC, said: “We are so excited about the overhaul of Fenchurch and that we will get to see it working up and down the Bluebell Railway line once again, and considering the locomotive is now in its 150th year – it's amazing! The engineers in our workshops do a terrific job. That's the difference between heritage railways and other museums, they are living museums, where heritage skills are kept alive, and visitors get to interact with their history and really experience the age of steam.”
Steve Backhouse, General Manager Isle of Wight Steam Railway, said: “We're delighted that W11 Newport will be heading to our friends at the Bluebell Railway to help celebrate Fenchurch's 150th birthday celebrations. Our ‘Terrier' locomotives have a popular following, and I am sure that many supporters will be keen to see her in action on the mainland.”
