Y14:2014 - In Steam This Year?

With 2014 upon us, we can proudly announce, thanks to the support of over 190 generous donors that we have breached the halfway mark of our £100,000 appeal after only fifteen weeks.

Our Y14:2014 appeal plans to raise £100,000 to return ourJ15 locomotiveto steam, in the guise of a Great Eastern Railway Y14 as she was originally built. Over the course of her ticket, she'll then wear London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) and British Railways liveries (being transformed back into what the LNER redesignated a 'J15' at this point). This is a massive undertaking for the Society, at a time when we are also overhauling massiveWD 2-10-0 90775alongside keeping B12 8572,Wissingtonand Class 31 D5631 in traffic - and that's not even mentioning our rolling stock!

With this in mind, we all our members and supporters to dig deep into their pockets to help raise just over £44,000 to complete the appeal and let our 102 year old J15 steam once again!

Society Chairman Neil Sharpe, who is spearheading the appeal said the following: "We have really been overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters who have already donated to this appeal to restore the Society's oldest steam loco to traffic. Their support has already allowed us to make sterling progress with many of the works to the chassis and tender already complete ahead of schedule."

"This overhaul is the most extensive the engine will have had for over sixty years, with the engine being stripped down to every single nut and bolt for a complete rebuild. It's not often we get the chance to give our engines such a thorough 'going over', but it is essential to ensure that 100+ year old engines such as our Y14 can continue steaming, hopefully for another 100 years and then some!"

"All I ask is for all of our supporters, members and anyone who enjoys watching these workhorses of the industrial age really do dig into their pockets and donate to our appeal. We've reached the halfway point now and need one last push to see us home and dry on this fantastic restoration project."

More information on the Y14:2014 appeal can be found on theappeal page, where you can also downloaddonation formsfor the appeal.