Preserved Class J36, no. 65243 "Maude" on the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway
Photo:Ross Aithen {Reproduced by the kind permission of the photographer; for more of his photos of Maude at work see http://railfaneurope.net/pix/gb/museum/BKR/pix.html }.
This engine was built by Neilson & Co. in 1891 for the North British Railway. It was originally numbered 673. It was rebuilt in 1915 with a bigger boiler and a side window cab. It was loaned to the War Department in November 1917 when it saw service in France, before being returned to the NBR in June 1919. After grouping it was renumbered 9673 in 1924 by the LNER, and then renumbered again in 1946 as 5243. It received its final number in 1948 following nationalisation.
It was withdrawn in 1966 when it was purchased by the SRPS for preservation {see www.srps.org.uk/railway/}. For a visitor's recent photographs of Maude in steam see http://freespace.virgin.net/les.crossan/uncletom.htm.
Maude has also appeared in several films and TV programs, the latest being ITV's adaption of " The Railway Children", which was screened in April last year (see http://www.trainweb.org/locowatch/uk/news/apr00/10a.htm for more details). Maude is, however not the only J36 to appear on TV. Back in 1966 no. 65345 appeared in an episode of "Dr Findlay's Casebook" in which Uplawmoor station was renamed Tannochbrae (source "The Railway Magazine" Dec. 1966).