The North Yorkshire Moors Railway has got into the spirit of the World Cup by making its own “summer signing” – a fabulous new steam engine – with the express intention of strengthening its front line of engines.
Engine number 92214, a British Railways BR Standard Class 9F, has recently arrived and will be called into immediate action from today, Tuesday 15 June, running throughout the rest of the season until October across the North York Moors.
Designed for British Railways in the 1950s, the Class 9F was one of the most successful and powerful steam locomotives ever built in Britain, and was nicknamed “the spaceship” due to its massive size. There were 251 of these engines built, the last one being engine number 92220 – “Evening Star” – which was built in Swindon in 1960.
As a popular engine with enthusiasts, the news is likely to draw more visitors to the railway throughout the summer.