A sad sight from August 1981. Jubilee Class no 45699 Galatea was built by the LMS in 1936 at Crewe. It was withdrawn from service in November 1964 and in January 1965 was sold to Woodham’s scrap yard in South Wales. It languished here until 1980. During its stay in the yard, two of its driving wheels were cut through with a gas axe following a derailment. In April 1980 it was bought as a source of spares for fellow class member 5690 Leander, which was restored and in main line use by that time. It was moved to Steamtown, Carnforth. It was later bought by a consortium of enthusiasts from The Severn Valley Railway with a view to restoration and moved. A dispute later arose over the ownership of the loco. In 2002, the locomotive was moved back to the West Coast Railway Company at Carnforth for further restoration. This is one a very complex restoration job, which has necessitated the casting of two new driving wheels to replace the cut ones. Work is now progressing apace and, if WCRC form is anything to go by, it will be completed soon to a very high standard. This shot shows it during its first stay at Carnforth, when it was intended only for spares and restoration was not even on the horizon. If you look carefully, you can see the gap where the centre driving wheels should be. See HERE for a shot taken whilst under restoration in 2008, showing the new wheels.
