Home » About Us » Departments & Groups » Locomotives and Multiple Units - Locomotives and Multiple Units
No. 656 was built by Frichs of Aarhus in 1949, following the Second World War, after devastating attacks left the Danish railways in short supply for shunting locomotives. The post-war ‘F’ class locomotives were built on the original drawings by Otto Busse, but with slight modifications, such as stronger buffers and bufferbeams, and a larger capacity coal bunker. During its life working for DSB (Danske Statsbaner – Danish State Railways), 656 would have carried out shunting, light goods trains and small passenger workings, and the remaining railway ferry duties that remained in place. 656 was withdrawn from service and placed into store at the Aarhus Depot. In 1975, 656 was purchased from Aarhus and transported to Peterborough. It was steamed for the first time on the railway in 1976, before entering regular service after the formal opening of the line in 1977 on the lighter off-peak trains. 656 is fitted with a bell which can be heard as the locomotive moves around stations and past crossings. 656 carries the colour of the Danish flag (red and white) around its chimney. The locomotive was taken out of traffic in 1986 with a failed firebox, and spent the next 16 years in storage in Wansford shed awaiting overhaul. In 2004, John Snasdell, the previous owner of 656, generously donated the locomotive to the railway. The loco finished an extensive overhaul and returned to traffic in January 2024.
The 0-6-0T engine No. 1800 was built by Hudswell Clarke in 1947 at about the time when Rev. W Awdry wrote his second book in which Thomas appeared. The little blue engine spent its entire working life at the British Sugar Corporation factory in Peterborough, pushing wagons of sugar beet up an incline until the day came when a diesel engine replaced the steam power of Thomas. The Peterborough Railway Society purchased this delightful little engine on 9th September 1973 and he was moved to the Nene Valley Railway, where he has since delighted his friends and children of all ages.
34081 is a Battle of Britain Class locomotive which was built at the Brighton Works for Southern Railway in 1948. 34081 was allocated to Ramsgate shed and is thought to have hauled many prestigious expresses such as 'Thanet Belle', 'The Man of Kent', 'Night Ferry' and the 'Golden Arrow'. It wasn't until 1950 that 34081 had her 92 Squadron name plates fitted for the first time, although there was no official naming cermony. She was named after the famous Spitfire Squadron that was based at Biggin Hill in Kent during the Battle of Britain, with combat mainly fought in the skies above Kent, Surrey and Sussex. In 1957, 34081 was allocated to Exmouth Junction shed due to the Kent coast electrification scheme. In 1964, 92 Squadron was allocated to Eastleigh shed for a few short months before being withdrawn from service in August 1964 having clocked up a total of 741,511 miles. A year later the locomotive would arrive at Dai Woodham's scrap yard to await the cutter's torch. However, 34081 was purchased by The Battle of Britain Locomotive Society in 1973 and was moved to the Nene Valley Railway in 1976. An extensive overhaul lasting 22 years commenced shortly after arrival, with many parts being rebuilt or replaced. 92 Squadron re-entered service in May 1998 and was offically named 92 Squadron by Pete Waterman and re-dedicated with Oliver Bulleid (a grandson of the designer) present. In 2008, 92 Squadron was withdrawn from service for overhaul and returned to service in 2018.
5485, often referred to as the 'Polish Tank', is a 0-8-0 Tank Engine built in 1959 by Fabryka Lokomotyw in Chrzanow for the PKP (Polish State Railways). The locomotive worked in the Silesian (Śląsk) coalfields in Bytom for all its working life until its withdrawal from service in 1995. The locomotive was purchased privately and moved to the UK for preservation, first going to the Llangollen Railway for restoration, and subsequently moving to the NVR. The loco was withdrawn for overhaul in 2012 and re-entered service in 2020. The loco is often seen hauling passenger & dining services on the NVR.
9529 is an 0-6-0 Diesel Hydraulic loco built at Swindon Works in 1964, weighing in at 48.5 tonnes. Originally intended for hauling working movements between local yards and short-distance freight trains on the western region, 9529 was sold to The British Steel Company and worked at Buckminster from 1968-1972. It was later moved to Corby Steelworks and worked there until 1981 when it was moved to Bardon Hill Quarry. It worked there until 2010 when it was rescued by the Iron Steel & Traction Group and moved to the Nene Valley Railway. 9529 is used for passenger services as well as shunting and civil engineering trains on the NVR.
45041 is a 1-Co Co-1 wheel arrangement Diesel Electric loco built at Crewe Works in 1962, weighing in at 133 tonnes. The loco was originally based at Derby hauling passenger services on The Midland Mainline as D53. In 1964 the loco was named Royal Tank Regiment, a name it still holds to this day, and was then re-numbered in 1975. 45041 was used predominantly on freight trains during the 1980s as it was not one of the Class 45s that were selected to be converted to supply electric train heat. Unfortunately, the loco suffered a traction motor problem in 1988 and was condemned. The loco was bought by the Peak Locomotive Society in 1996 and has been based at the NVR since then and can be regularly seen hauling passenger services.
DL83 is an 0-6-0 Diesel Hydraulic shunter and was delivered new to Stewart & Lloyd Minerals in Corby in 1967, on a loan basis while the Rolls Royce plant developed and built the proposed 'Steelmen' locomotives. With nationalisation of the steel industry, the loco was transferred to the British Steel Corporation. In 1971, DL83 was sold to London Transport and was based at Lillie Bridge Depot for ballast train working on the London Underground. It remained in service with London Transport until a failure in 1989, which resulted in its withdrawal from service. The locomotive was offered for sale and arrived at the NVR in 1994. DL83 can often be seen shunting in and around Wansford Yard & Station.
Barabel is an 0-4-0 Diesel Hydraulic shunter and was delivered to the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company in 1964. Barabel was later declared redundant and transferred to Stewarts & Lloyds' Bromford Tube Works in Birmingham in 1967 where it was to remain for the next 27 years. In 1994 Barabel was sold on from the Bromford Works and eventually ended up at the Round Oak Rail Terminal at Brierly Hill, before then being acquired by the NVR in 2006. Barabel can often be seen shunting in Wansford Yard.
143602 is a diesel multiple unit rail bus built in 1986. It was inexpensively developed using a passenger body based on the Leyland national bus on top of a chassis based on the high-speed freight research vehicle. During its operating life, the unit was tasked with various passenger services across the UK, being initially operated in the North-East of England and subsequently transferred to South Wales. Transport for Wales kept 143602 until the unit was withdrawn in 2021 due to it no longer complying with modern accessible regulations. 143602 was purchased and moved to the NVR where it entered service in 2023. It can normally be seen operating in the winter months, as well as being used regularly throughout the year for passenger traffic.
HSTs or InterCity 125s are considered to be one of the most successful trains to have operated in the UK. They consist of two Class 45 power cars wth a rake of BR MK3 coaches between them. In 1987 a world speed record was set by an HST travelling at 148mph. The HST at the Nene Valley Railway consists of power cars 43045 & 43060, both powered by Paxman VP185 engines. Between the power cars are MK3 trailers 42357 (Trailer Second), 42355 (Trailer Second) & 40904 (Trailer Buffet First). Each of the Mk3 trailers have historical significance as they were origionaly prototype Mk3 coaches.
Often referred to as the Swedish Railcars, 1212 (Motor Car) & 1987 (Trailer Car) are diesel mechanical railbuses that were built in 1958 for the Swedish State Railways (Statens Järnvägar - SJ) by Eksjoverken. They were used throughout the unelectrified Swedish rail network. 1987 was in a heritage railway collection in Arvdsjaur in Northern Sweden after its withdrawal from service in the 1970s until it was purchased in 2016 and brought from there to the NVR. Covid delayed the restoration, but it entered service in May 2022. 1212 was purchased and shipped to the UK, entering service on the NVR in 1984. The owner unfortunately passed away in 1989 and 1212 was sold to Fleggburgh in Great Yarmouth where she remained out of action and under cover, before being used as a picnic coach at Tweedle Farm in Hartlepool. In 2011 1987 was purchased and transferred back to the NVR, entering service again in 2012. The railcars can normally be seen operating in the winter months and are often available for private hire.