Fundraising to support the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) in the acquisition & overhaul of 'Churchill' Stanier 8F locomotive No. 45170 (WD554), and in doing so returning the locomotive to Scottish soil for the first time in over 70 years! Built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow this locomotive was first steamed on 28th February 1942 at the peak of WW2. It was then lo
aned by the Ministry of Supply (War Department) to the LMS before being converted to right hand drive and shipped to Turkey in 1943 as part of a step to ensure Turkey’s ongoing assistance to the allies in the war effort. Locally known in Turkey as a ‘Churchill’ she saw service under the number 45170. She was saved from the cutters torch in 2010 and returned to the UK. She is currently in storage at the Museum of Scottish Railways at Bo’ness where cosmetic work is taking place. Assessment of 45170 has shown that she is over 90% complete and having been stored in an arid climate is particularly well preserved. Late in her operating life she underwent a major overhaul so is a superb candidate for restoration to full mainline condition. More information on the 8F class, and this locomotive in particular, is available at www.srpssteam.com
This appeal is your opportunity to help us to secure and restore this wonderful engine for future generations. Now is the time to join us by making a ‘one off’ donation or better still, become a ‘regular monthly donator / Covenantor’. We are targeting a total fund of £370,000 which would account for her purchase, transport and full restoration. This is not an insurmountable amount as we have seen by the hugely generous donations received to date which have already secured over half of the purchase amount within the first 12 months! Now we need to keep the momentum going and secure the rest of the fund. When compared to new build projects which run into millions of pounds this is a small amount to pay to see one of the strongest locomotives ever to grace the rails return to traffic for the SRPS. This is a long-term commitment by the SRPS to secure this loco for the core collection. This restoration can and will happen with your help! You can donate in a number of ways.
• A one-off cash donation
• Make regular monthly payments and become a supporter – a Covenantor. As a Covenantor you will receive regular updates on the purchase and a certificate confirming your regular payments. You will also receive updates on the locomotive and the chance to attend various special events planned to support the locomotive’s restoration.
• Donate online to this project through the website “mydonate” sponsored by BT. To donate to the appeal go to www.srps.org.uk/donate and click on the button “Make a secure, commission free donation now” then simply follow the onscreen directions. You can GiftAid your donation if you are a UK taxpayer and fulfill the necessary criteria, which adds 25% to your donation at no cost to you.
