Cambrian Heritage Railways has welcomed a new arrival at its Oswestry terminus ahead of the award winning heritage railway opening its doors for the new running season.

The steam engine Grant Ritchie 272 is on loan from the Ribble Steam Railway And Museum in Preston and will provide the main steam attraction along the two mile of railway between Oswestry to Weston Wharf.

No.272 was built in 1894 and was the 14th loco built by Grant Ritchie. It is the manufacturer’s sole surviving 0-4-0ST.

There is a 1914 built 0-4-2ST preserved at the Prestongrange Mining Museum in Scotland.

No.272 was delivered new to Kinglassie Colliery Leslie in Fife and carried the running number 21.

Little appears to be known for a long period of time, It then went to Cowdenbeath Central Workshops in 1949, to Mary Colliery Fife in 1951, back to Cowdenbeath in 1955, to Fordell Colliery in 1957, Rothes Colliery in 1966 and finally to Thomas Muirs famous scrapyard in Easterbalbeggie on 25th November 1969, where it was to be joined over the years by a further ten Industrial steam locos, ironically including No.6 Andrew Barclay No 2261, which was restored to working order at Preston.

Cambrian Heritage Railways General Manager, Andy Green, said: “We are grateful to Ribble Steam Railway And Museum for the loan of Grant Ritchie 272 for our new operating season which started in April.

“We operate a relatively small heritage railway operation, therefore this type of steam locomotive is an excellent addition to our fleet and I’m sure it will prove extremely popular with our visitors and staff.”