The Museum has carefully tracked and monitored surviving locomotives and rolling stock used in the east midlands ironstone industry. One such survivor is British Railways 22 ton iron ore hopper built at Shildon in the 1950’s as running number B436275. Despite being built in huge numbers in a programme to modernise industry and rail transport, we believe that this wagon is now the only intact survivor.

The wagon forms part of the national collection in the care of the National Railway Museum but they were only too happy to support our unique project by loaning the wagon to our Charity, realising that operation and display in an authentic environment would give visitors a far greater understanding of the relevance of the vehicle.

B436275 arrived just before Easter from NRM Shildon and allowed an immediate display to be staged in our quarry area with the wagon running demonstration runs over the weekend.

Initial plans are to carry out only superficial conservation and preserve the workaday appearance of the wagon although in due course the wagon, which is in very good mechanical condition, will be run through the workshops.

The Charity thanks the support and help from the National Railway Museum through this loan.