Katie
Built in 1896 by Sir Arthur Heywood for the estate railway at Eaton Hall in Cheshire, Katie was sold to Ravenglass in 1916 when it hauled works trains. In 1919, Katie was sold to run at Southport and then at Fairbourne, and was dismantled in 1929. The remains were donated by the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at Tywyn and returned to Ravenglass.
In the early 1990s, the Heritage Group of the Preservation Society decided to use the original frames, and build a working model using castings from Heywood’s patterns but progress was slow.
In 2016, Katie was sent to Station Road Steam Ltd near Lincoln to complete the restoration using the original frames and running board angles, along with the whistle.
Katie returned to the railway on 14th June 2017 after the completion of her 25 year long restoration.
Katie finally was able to enter service in 2018.
Katie is owned by the Preservation Society Trust, but it is usually kept as a static display in the Ravenglass Railway Museum, and is only brought out and steamed on special events.
As the loco doesn’t provide any shelter for the driver, a “stout Macintosh” is recommended!
The restoration of Katie cost £50,000, all funded by donations and memberships of the Society.
If you would like to donate to help maintain Katie and contribute to future overhauls, you can do so by donating to our Steam Locomotive Maintenance fund. https://rerps.co.uk/donate/
Visiting Other Railways
Beamish Museum, County Durham: 11-14 April 2019
Fairbourne Railway, Wales: 23-29 May 2019
Kirklees Light Railway, West Yorkshire: 14-15 Sept 2019
Beamish Museum, County Durham: 9-10 April 2022
Perrygrove Railway: 18-19th May 2024
Heatherslaw Light Railway, Northumberland: 1-4 August 2024