In December 2024, the NLR welcomed a new resident steam loco when 1918-built Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T locomotive ‘Ajax’ (Works No. 1605) arrived from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, where it had resided for over 50 years.
It has been on the Isle of Wight for more than 50 years and although it was once used as a working locomotive, in recent years it has been a mainstay of the Train Story Rail Discovery Centre.
Ajax was built for the Sulphide Corporation of London in 1918 but was requisitioned on completion by the Ministry of Munitions and sent to Persia, where she remained for many years, latterly in the service of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.
The locomotive returned to the UK, working at Llandarcy Refinery, near Swansea, and later at the Stanton Iron Works, Sheffield. She finished her industrial service at Harlaxton Ironstone Quarries, near Grantham, being withdrawn in 1968.
Ajax was bought by Henry Frampton-Jones, who placed her on loan to the IWSR in 1972.
No major restoration work was carried out for more than 20 years, until a full overhaul was completed. Ajax hauled its first public passenger train during 2005 and was in service until the end of 2014, when it was withdrawn for overhaul.
The loco is now in the custodianship of Northampton Steam Railway Ltd (the NLR’s operating company). It will remain at the NLR indefinitely.
Initial work on overhauling Ajax has already commenced, although a timescale for its return to working service is not yet known.
Updates on the overhaul will be posted from time to time.
