LMS diesel shunter 7051 was built by the
Hunslet Engine Company to demonstrate its wares. After public exhibition in February 1932, it was used for trials at a colliery, before being tested by the LMS. After further public exhibition in February 1933, it was at last purchased by the LMS in May 1933. It was loaned to the
War Department from August 1940, which numbered it 27. During 1941–1944 it was returned to the LMS, but in August 1944 it returned to the WD, now numbered 70027. After the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
it was returned to the LMS, but was withdrawn in December 1945 and resold back to Hunslet. Hunslet used the locomotive as a works shunter, but it was also available for hire, and spent time at oil refineries in
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
and with
British Railways
British Railways (BR), which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was a state-owned company that operated most of the overground rail transport in Great Britain from 1948 to 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the Big Four British rai ...
.
In September 1960 the locomotive was preserved by the
Middleton RailwayMiddleton Railway stock page - John Alcock
in Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
and named ''John Alcock'', named after the then current Managing Director of Hunslet Railway Company. It remains at the Middleton Railway, but has spent time on loan to other locations, including the National Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum is a museum in York forming part of the Science Museum Group. The museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant r ...
, York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
.
See also
* LMS diesel shunters
References
Literature
*
*
*
{{LMS Locomotives
7051
Diesel 7051
War Department locomotives
C locomotives
Hunslet locomotives
Railway locomotives introduced in 1932
Standard gauge locomotives of Great Britain