Lytham

This page is dedicated to the 0 - 4 - 0 Peckett saddle tank 'Lytham St. Annes', which is owned by one of the 92214 group.

Built in 1949 by Peckett & Sons Ltd of Fishponds, Bristol, carrying works No. 2111, and delivered new to Preston Gas Dept., Lancashire.

Little is known about the loco's early life in industrial service, although it is understood she was officially a 'standby' engine, and as such rarely used. Fate treated 2111 kindly, and she defied the scrap man, and was acquired for static display at a private museum in Lytham St. Anne's. There, an exhibition finish was applied, in the attractive mid blue livery the loco currently retains, and at the same time, she received the name 'Lytham No. 1'.

During 1985 the museum was re-organised, and this resulted in the Peckett (along with several other exhibits) being offered for sale. A member of the 9F group, which some years earlier had saved 92214 from Woodham Brothers yard at Barry, became the new owner. Lytham No. 1 joined the derelict 9F and the collection of other stock at Peak Rail's Buxton Steam Centre, shortly before the introduction of the public shuttle service that same year.

Within months of arrival, the Peckett's boiler was re-tubed, and other work of a minor nature carried out to return the loco to full working order. She proved utterly reliable and economical in service. Lytham's final duty for Peak Rail took place on the 1989 Santa Trains, which marked the end of operations at Buxton. The following year she was moved to Swanwick Junction, along with the components of 92214, and 92219, and immediately went into storage, awaiting attention.

A partial re-tube carried out during the winter of 1991 put her back into working order, and the next phase of her life began. Over the next four years the Peckett saw occasional service at Butterley, mainly on demonstration loose-coupled goods trains, and footplate experience turns, with some limited passenger use during special events.

In the summer of 1993 the loco was re-painted, and at the same time her name was altered, adopting that of ex-LMS Patriot Class No. 45548 “Lytham St. Annes”, so that the connection with one of her former homes was retained.

In 1996, Lytham was withdrawn with boiler tubes unfit for further service, and has since been stored, awaiting attention.

A detailed assessment is currently being made of the work necessary to return her to working order.

	Lytham spent several years at Buxton in the 1980's providing steam hauled rides on the short length of available track. At that time the loco carried the name 'Lytham No. 1'.
	The loco seen here being transported by road from Buxton to Butterley in September 1990.

After it's transfer to Butterley, Lytham was used for several years on short passenger trains and shunting demonstrations. These three views are of the loco in steam in Swanwick yard in the mid 1990's.

At present (April 2004), Lytham is out of service and is photographed here in the museum building at Swanwick. Some initial work has been carried out to enable an assessment of what is required to get the loco back into steam.

	The fireman's side of the loco. The two boxes on the foot plating are the sandboxes for the gravity fed sanding gear. The curved black pipe under the boiler is the saddletank balance pipe. Behind the trailing sandbox is one of the injectors, the feed pipe extending to the boiler clack valve just behind the front sandbox.
	The round top firebox, with the two (angled) gauge frame mounting positions and the regulator shaft visible.
	The driver's side of the cab. The large red lever is the reverser, the small red lever is the vacuum brake control. Two black levers just in front of the reverser are for sander control and drivers side injector water valve. The handbrake is on the right hand side of the photo.