Henschel 0-4-0 Tank, Riesa Class Locomotive No.14 �Helen Kathryn�

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Locomotive Details:-

Steam locomotive �Helen Kathryn� arrived at the South Tynedale Railway, Alston, Cumbria on Wednesday 3rd April 1991.

It is a 70 horse power, 0-4-0 tank, Riesa class locomotive, built in 1948 by Henschel & Sohn, of Kassel, Germany, works No. 28035.

This locomotive was first used to assist in the removal of rubble from the bombed German cities after the second world war, and later was used on a variety of construction contracts.

It was brought to the United Kingdom in 1971 and used on the Bala Lake Railway in Wales. In 1975 it was transferred to the Llanberis Lake Railway in Wales where it worked regularly until 1987. By that year sufficient former �native� quarry steam locomotives had been restored to operate all of the services and Helen Kathryn was laid aside.

Following a general overhaul and the fitting of a steam operated air pump, used to operate the train brake, Helen Kathryn entered service at Alston, although this locomotive is privately owned.

Photo: �Helen Kathryn� photographed at Alston Station.

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Locomotive History:-

During its later years prior to 1971, this locomotive was working on a forestry railway line in East Germany, then it was imported into Britain and entered service on the Bala Lake Railway in 1973. It was the first narrow gauge steam locomotive to run at Llanuwchllyn, but because of its weight and size, being rather too large, it saw only limited use on the Bala Lake Railway train services. In 1975 the owner of the locomotive reached agreement to move it to the Llanberis Lake Railway, where it continued to operate train services, in return, a Hunslet built steam locomotive named �Maid Marian� (Works No. 822, built in 1903) was transferred from the Llanberis Lake Railway to Llanuwchllyn on the Bala Lake Railway.

After arriving at the South Tynedale Railway in 1991, Helen Kathryn has received a full overhaul consisting of the fitting of air brakes, new steam pipes, new bunker and an air reservoir tank, replacement of four boiler stays plus some smokebox repairs. Most of this work was completed in time for the locomotive to make its first public appearance in steam during the 1994 Steam Enthusiasts� Weekend that took place over the weekend of the 30th and 31st July that year and it also hauled passenger trains over the next four weeks, hauling trains with a diesel locomotive assisting to provide air brakes, as the fitting of the air pipes and steam pump was not completed until towards the end of the following year.

The locomotive has been regularly used to haul passenger trains since 1994, between Alston and Gilderdale during summer months and on the Santa Special trains in December. During 1999 it hauled an empty passenger train from Alston to Kirkhaugh and back, to test clearances on the Gilderdale to Kirkhaugh section. It was also used on passenger train services between September and December 1999 on the Alston to Kirkhaugh stretch of line, since this was officially opened to passenger trains from 4th September 1999 until it was withdrawn from service for major overhaul at the end of October 2002.

This steam locomotive is very popular with footplate staff, as well as visitors to the railway.

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Dimensions and livery:-

Original dimensions:-
Outside cylinders = 250 mm (9.8 in) x 300 mm (11.8 in).
Fitted with Walschaert�s valve gear. Working pressure of 12 atmospheres (176 per sq. inch).
Driving wheels = 650 mm (2 ft 1.6 in) diameter.
Tractive effort at 60% of boiler pressure = 2,075 kg (4,570 lb).
Length = 4,600 mm (15 ft 1 in). Width = 1,925 mm (6 ft 4 in). Height = 2,800 mm (9 ft 2 in).
Wheelbase = 1,400 mm (4 ft 7 in). Weight = 8.5 tonnes (8.3 tons) empty, 11.3 tonnes (11.1 tons) loaded.

Rebuilt dimensions:-
Length = 15 ft 0 in (4,572 mm). Width = 5 ft 10 in (1,778 mm). Overall height = 9 ft 1 in (2,769 mm).
Wheel diameter = 2 ft 1� in (648 mm). Wheelbase = 4 ft 5 in (1,346 mm).

Livery:-
Crimson body, with black lining, frames and wheels, red valve gear and buffer beams.

Other Riesa class locomotives preserved:-

Two other 0-4-0T steam locomotives of the Riesa class, are currently preserved, these are:-

1. Works No. 28033 of 1948 is preserved at the Parkeisenbahn Chemnitz, a park railway at Chemnitz in Eastern Germany.
2. Works No. 28039 of 1948 is preserved at the Deutsches Dampflokomotiv Museum (German Steam Locomotive Museum) at Neuenmarkt, Bavaria, Western Germany.

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For more information about the South Tynedale Railway, please contact:-
SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY
The Railway Station, Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3JB.
Tel. 01434 381696.���Talking timetable tel. 01434 382828.
Registered Charity No. 514939.

E-mail enquiries - please click on links below:
South Tynedale Railway information - Send e-mail to South Tynedale Railway
STRPS membership information only - Send e-mail to Kathy Aveyard
Tynedalesman information only - Send e-mail to Liesel Metz

This page was last updated on 19th January 2003.
� South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society 2005.

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