ALBERTA RETURNS!
The inspirational decision by David Smith, chairman of West Coast Railways, to repaint maroon Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galatea into BR green as long-lost classmate No. 45562 Alber ta will bring back fond memories for those Heritage Railway readers of a certain age.
It took two weeks or so to repaint Galatea into the identity of Alber ta at West Coast’s Carnforth workshops, before being sprung on an unsuspecting public and astonished linesiders – and, as explained below, the move had a certain degree of authenticity!
The original No. 45562 Albe r ta enjoyed almost celebrity status during its last 12 months of operation on British Railways, becoming one of the last eight Jubilees to make it into 1967, from a class that once boasted 191 examples. Astonishingly, the National Collection did not think one was worthy of preservation and all could have been scrapped, had it not been for some active enthusiasts, who set out to save one.
first came to prominence by the unofficial cleaning efforts of the ‘Master Neverers Association’ (MNA) gang, who have just celebrated their book Never Again selling out twice. The engine’s paintwork under a thick layer of grime was in good condition
