Bury welcomes historic 89-year-old steam train to museum

The East Lancashire Railway has welcomed a 2500 Tilbury Tank, which is on loan from the National Railway Museum.

Built in 1934, the locomotive was the first of 37 in the class that were designed for the London Tilbury and Southend line of the London Midland and Scottish Railway.

The historic zenith of steam power is on display at the Bury Transport Museum.

 Keith Whitmore, East Lancashire Railway Director, and Museum Chairman, said ‘We are absolutely delighted to be strengthening our working partnership with the National Railway Museum

Read more: East Lancashire Railway heads back to the 1940s

“The 2500 is an LMS Large Tank locomotive built in 1934 that now looks very much at home in our museum, representing the zenith of steam power on the London Midland and Scottish Railway before post-war British Railways came into being. 

“We are working closely with the Science Museum Group to ensure that our Museum is a must-see visitor attraction in the North West and are looking forward to further announcements shortly on a further refresh of our displays.”

These locomotives boasted three cylinders to boost acceleration to negotiate the string of stops along the busy route.

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They differentiated from other classes of 2-6-4 tank engines because the outside cylinders are noticeably smaller with a shorter smokebox and domeless boilers.

Paddy McNulty, from the National Railway Museum, said: “We are proud to be working with ELR and the Bury Transport Museum to enable LMS locomotive no. 2500 to go on display.

“This will give the public additional opportunities to see this important part of the National Collection for themselves.”