 |  INTRODUCTION |
Cheddleton Staffordshire England United Kingdom - Number 5197 is a USA Army Transportation Corps 2-8-0 Consolidation locomotive built in June 1945 by the Lima Locomotive Works in Ohio. It spent most of its working life in the Chinese coal industry around Fushun between 1946 and 1990 until 1995 when it was brought to the Llangollen Railway in Wales for an overhaul and return to traffic in 1998. Sold in 2001 it was purchased by Greg Wilson and moved to the Churnet Valley where it operated for 3 years before mechanical repairs and a return to service in 2005. It was withdrawn from service in 2009 for a complete overhaul which was complete by 2017.
Background image - Churnet Valley Railway 2-8-0 Consolidation number USATC 5197 exits the north portal of Cheddleton Tunnel bound for end-of-track at Ipstones - 7 Sep 2022 William Slim.
Background image - Churnet Valley Railway 2-8-0 Consolidation number USATC 5197 exits the north portal of Cheddleton Tunnel bound for end-of-track at Ipstones - 7 Sep 2022 William Slim.
The Churnet Valley Railway lies near the geographic center of England being a ten and a half mile long standard gauge heritage line running north from Froghall Station to an unused platform and run-around loop at end-of-track named Ipstones next to Bottom Lane (B5053). The railway's main shops are located at Cheddleton about a third of the way from the railway's southern end at Froghall station. Between Froghall and Leek Brook the line generally follows along the forested valley of the twisting River Churnet with few access points from roadways thereby making train chasing difficult. North and east of Leek Brook the country is more open with the line located some distance from highway (A523).
