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Nene Valley Railway, Wansford Station, Stibbington, Peterborough, PE8 6LR

Tel: 01780 784444

The Dave Head collection.

Dave Head, NVR CME for many years until 2018, was instrumental in arranging the overhaul of 73050 by Peter Brotherhood. This selection is from his personal collection and is reproduced here for the first time in public with his kind permission.

Click on a thumbnail to see a full-size image.

The Peter Brotherhood overhaul

Steamed for the first time in preservation in 1972, after 5 years service, although usage had been light, 73050 was in need of overhaul.  Local engineering firm Peter Brotherhood undertook the work as an apprenticeship project, executing a full overhaul between 1977 and 1980 at their works at Walton, Peterborough.

Overhaul complete, BR class 08 shunter hauls 73050 to Orton Mere via the Fletton loop.  After a pause to raise steam, the loco made its own way from Orton to Wansford.

This photo is used with the kind permission of flickr member phil60007.

Brunswick Green in service.

In BR days, 73050 was always painted black with red and straw lining. However a number of the class (mainly those overhauled at Swindon) were turned out in Brunswick green, the BR livery for express passenger locomotives.

When Peter Brotherhood completed the 1970’s overhaul, it was decided to use the green colour. 73050 ran in green until withdrawal for another overhaul in 1990.  Part of the justification for the green livery was that the boiler carried by 73050 had originally belonged to fellow class member 73014, which was one of the Swindon-overhauled, green liveried, locos in BR days.

A picture from Martin Brewster-Green shows City of Peterborough in action near Castor