Burton & Ashby 14 is without doubt one of the biggest success stories of tram preservation in the UK in recent years. Repatriated from Detroit in 2015 having been there since 1980, the tram was restored at the Statfold Barn Railway returning to service in March 2017 – the first time it had carried passengers in the UK in 90 years! Since then it has continued to run regularly at Statfold Barn and the most recent of this outings was during the Spectacle of Steam which took place over the weekend of Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th 2023. Ken Jones was there to see the tram – and plenty of steam locos – in action.
The promotion for the Summer Spectacle of Steam promises “more working steam locomotives in one hour than anywhere else in the UK” and the 2023 edition certainly didn’t disappoint! Amongst the steam exhibits was a first timer in the UK – Fowler 15513 of 1920 which had never been seen in steam in the UK before! This was in operation on one of the many railways (of different gauges) which make-up the Statfold Barn Railway. But its Burton & Ashby 14 that this article mainly concentrates on with it continuing to clock up the miles on its dedicated line. With no overhead the tram runs on batteries (West Midlands Metro of the past!) and its trips along the line are usually very popular with visitors to the railway.
As well as the fact that there is no trolley pole and no overhead one other modern safety feature which is obvious to see is the addition of wing mirrors on the tram to allow the drivers to make sure there is nothing else in the vicinity. They can be seen in this view of 14 as a healthy load of passengers are taken for a ride.
There are photographers standing by the track but it doesn’t appear that 14 is what is interesting them with cameras firmly down! As you’ll see from the left of 14 there are a couple of other lines here.
Statfold Barn is probably the only place in the UK at the moment where you can get tram and steam locomotive both in operation together. Here 14 is next to Jack – this is a Hunslet 0-4-0WT built in 1898 and runs on an 18” gauge. Then on the far side it’s a 2 foot gauge line with two former Penrhyn Slate Quarry locos – Cegin and Marchlyn.
14 disappears into the distance with Jack looking on.
Another 2 foot gauge operational locomotive at Statfold Barn is Harrogate. This is a 0-6-0ST Peckett built in 1944 and originally operational at Harrogate Gas Works. Overhauled in 2015 it was in passenger service here with a couple of coaches. 14 is alongside of course.
Plenty of room on top! 14 heads along its tramway once more.
Passengers patiently wait on board 14 before it departs from the terminus again.
This is an advertisement poster in the new entrance at Statfold Barn. (All Photographs by Ken Jones, 10th June 2023)
- More details on the Statfold Barn Railway can be found on the main Statfold Country Park website at https://www.statfold.com/