The British Railways (BR) Standard Class 5MT No. 73050 City of Peterborough is a type of 4-6-0, steam locomotive built at the Derby Locomotive Works, and delivered on the 14th of April, 1954.
There are many reasons as to why it was chosen for preservation in the first place. It was chosen to represent the class 5MT at the "International Railway Congress", in Willesden MPD, London, from the 26th to the 29th of May, the same year in which she entered service. Afterwards, she moved to Bath Green Park with sisters 73051 and 73052 for service along the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway Main Line from Bath to Bournemouth. These three engines were built with a BR1G tender for working over this route; the only other engines built with this type of tender were the 9F 2-10-0's. 73050 also piloted the famous 'Pines Express' until 1962, but remained there in use until 1964, when it moved to Shrewsbury.
Retired at Patricroft, Manchester in 1968, the year steam ended on British Rail, the engine was bought by the late Rev. Richard Paten.
The name it now has was given to the fast and reliable post-service that it originally serviced.
It is owned by the Peterborough City Council, and based on the Nene Valley Railway, carrying passengers and special freight trains while in service. Presently, 73050 is in store, awaiting her next overhaul.
Trivia[]
- This engine was also featured in many films. Such as: "The Mystery of the Blue Train", "Murder on the Orient Express" and its wheels make a brief appearance in "Hugo", and featured in the music video for Big Country's Fields of Fire.
- It is often dressed as 'Henry the Green Engine' as part of the Railway's 'Thomas' events.
- It was booked for a special on the Nene Valley Railway on 15 August 2012 to mark Richard Paten's 80th birthday, but he died three weeks before.
- On 21 September 2014, 73050 was taken out of traffic for another major overhaul, which began in 2017.
- The engine's air brakes, fitted in 1979, were modified so that the engine's brakes work in conjunction with the air brakes when hauling a train.
- Every valve and component was dismantled and overhauled, with the intention of making the locomotive as reliable as possible for the future.