The LNER’s last Chief Mechanical Engineer was Arthur Peppercorn, whose most lasting memorial is the subject of this programme – his Class A2 Pacific No. 60532 Blue Peter.
The locomotive was saved from scrapping in 1966 by Geoffrey Drury. After a chequered preservation career, he decided to put the locomotive in the capable hands of the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group (NELPG). They restored her to main line condition at the Thornaby depot.
This programme covers her return to the main line and her first runs over the scenic Settle-Carlisle and a foray back on her native metals in Scotland as well as use on the Great Central Railway.
Sadly tragedy follows as she is virtually destroyed whilst on a main line run at Durham and due to the damage caused in that incident in 1994, Blue Peter had to return to the Thornaby workshops. On completion of the repairs in 1996, No. 60532 returned to service on her ‘home’ ground on the North York Moors Railway and then to the main line again.
This dvd graphically captures the incident in all its dreadful detail, through rare footage from the train itself. We than follow her second restoration in the shed at Thornaby, were the full extent of the damage is revealed.
This programmes is a tribute to a superb locomotive and the dedication of the members of the NELPEG, who have had to overcome more traumas and set backs than seems just. That they have done so and triumphed is testament to their enthusiasm and dedication and the work carried out to bring the locomotive back into service. We see her at work on the ‘Moors’ and in the last months of her boiler ticket in 2001.
Approx. 55 minutes.
