As members will know, our Peckett 0-4-0ST Kilmersdon has been successfully fully overhauled at the Ropley workshops of the Mid-Hants Watercress Line. The engine entered service in August 2022 and was an immediate ‘hit’ with the Thomas event, indeed at times the only steam locomotive able to be seen during the very hot weather of that period!

Since then, Kilmersdon has been used on special event days including the children’s half-term in February this year. The engine will be used again in 2023 for two Thomas events and other galas etc but is available for hire in between those periods, particularly after October 2023.

Any enquiries should be sent to me, Roger Hardingham, at the Trust’s address or by email to info@sdrt.org.

‘Kilmersdon’ steams past Ropley yard just after overhaul and with fresh paint. [Photo by Tony Storey.]
Prior to overhaul, ‘Kilmersdon’ had spent nearly two years at the Helston Railway in Cornwall where the engine proved very popular with footplate crews. [Photo by David Temple.]