Restored Merchant Navy class locomotive 35005 is back after 14 years. It offers exclusive trips on the Watercress Line.
After many years and a meticulous restoration, the locomotive is back. Riders can take exclusive trips that offer a journey through time.
Southern Railway built it in 1941 at the Eastleigh Locomotive Works. The team included many women and it was restored by both volunteers and staff.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund provided £1.25 million in funding, which made the project possible.
Tim Dunn, a railway historian and broadcaster, celebrated Shrove Tuesday at the Watercress Line cooking pancakes on the engine’s boiler. Will Stratford captured the moment and Dunn commented that he liked the pancakes, especially with maple syrup.
The restoration spanned 14 years. During this time volunteers spent over 10,000 hours working to restore the locomotive. Now, Canadian Pacific can transport passengers back in time.
The Watercress Line runs from Alton to Alresford, Hampshire, and invites everyone to ride. Journeys begin March 20 and end March 23.
Steve Wilson volunteered on the project. His parents worked at Eastleigh Works, and his mother may have made parts for it. He calls seeing it run a dream.
The project was huge. Volunteers repaired mechanical parts, rebuilt the boiler, and refurbished Bulleid carriages.
Brian Carter, another volunteer, called the project unique. He looks forward to passengers enjoying it and feels that the project was a team effort.
Rebecca Dalley, who leads the Watercress Line, praised everyone’s hard work and thanked the partners, saying it preserves railway heritage for everyone.
Oliver Bulleid designed it for Southern Railway. The engine had an innovative design. It hauled supplies during wartime and was named after a shipping line.
After the war, it hauled luxury trains. These included the Bournemouth Belle, the Royal Wessex Express, and the Atlantic Coast Express.
Eilish McGuinness, who leads the Heritage Fund, says Canadian Pacific tells a story about our industrial past.
Volunteers spent a decade on its restoration. Now, the Watercress Line will run it, sharing its heritage with all, both now and in the future.
This year marks 200 years of rail travel. The Canadian Pacific has new life. The Heritage Fund invested in railway heritage to keep it safe and sound.