Honouring Scotland's Locomotive Engineering Heritage
By 1895 the Caledonian Railway Company possessed a
fleet of express passenger locomotives unsurpassed in power and efficiency
throughout Britain. This enabled it to play a pivotal part in the "Race to
Aberdeen" when the companies forming the West and East Coast Mainlines vied
for the shortest journey time between London and Aberdeen. Although high
average speeds were attained the loads pulled by the engines were light.
Then John F McIntosh arrived as the new Locomotive Superintendent of the
Caledonian Railway. He was determined to build locomotives which could
achieve the speeds of the "racing trains" but with loads two to three times
greater. Thus was born the
Dunalastair class of 1896 one of the
most outstanding locomotive designs ever to run in Britain.
None of McIntosh's express passenger locomotives for
the Caledonian survives today. Our locomotive, Caledonian No.828, is the
sole surviving member of the 812 Class which was
designed and built by McIntosh for express goods trains, excursion
traffic and the Clyde Coast fast boat trains connecting with the Company's
steamers. No.828 was built in 1899 and delivered from St Rollox Works during
August of that year.
Most importantly, it possesses the Dunalastair boiler,
widely regarded as one of the major developments in British locomotive
engineering.
No.828 is the only locomotive of pure McIntosh design
remaining in Britain and is therefore quite unique. In its beautiful blue
livery and carrying the royal arms of Scotland it is a striking example of
the artistry, craftsmanship and technical excellence which typified the
Caledonian Railway at the end of the nineteenth century. As such it is
worthy of preservation. But not preservation simply as a cold and silent
museum exhibit. John F McIntosh achieved reputation and fame for himself,
the Caledonian Railway and Scotland through the thrust of the piston, the
bark of the exhaust and the ring of steel wheels on steel rails. His
Dunalastair boiler was made for generating steam and that is what we
intend that it should continue to do.
On this website you can follow the progress of the
return to steam of Caledonian No.828 as the skilled men and women of the
Scottish Locomotive Preservation Trust Fund and the Strathspey Railway
Company carry out a complete overhaul with the assistance of funds from the
Heritage Lottery Fund.
