By Railfan & Railroad Staff
For the first time since the end of steam, a full-size British steam locomotive will be converted from burning coal to burning oil. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway has hired U.S.-based FMW Solutions to lead the conversion of 2-10-0 3672 Dame Vera Lynn.
The conversion comes as domestic sources for high-quality steam coal have dried up in the United Kingdom, and changing climate patterns have forced the North Yorkshire-based heritage railway to not run steam on certain days due to fire danger. Officials have said the oil conversion is a key step in “future-proofing” steam railroading in the U.K.
“We are thrilled to work alongside the NYMR Engineering Department at Grosmont to convert War Department 2-10-0 3672 as part of its upcoming overhaul,” said FMW President Davidson Ward. “This work will be a trans-Atlantic effort, with key firing components being manufactured both at our workshop in Tennessee and by the NYMR forces at Grosmont. The final installation is anticipated to take place on the NYMR.”
North Yorkshire Moors Railway and FMW Solutions are teaming up to convert a 2-10-0 to burn oil. Courtesy of FMW Solutions.
“We had a chance to join FMW leadership on the Sugar Express steam operation in Florida and experience enhanced oil firing firsthand,” said NYMR Director of Engineer Paul “Piglet” Middleton. “There is no doubt in my mind that the proposed conversion will enable our railroad to adapt to a changing environment and preserve our ability to run steam in the coming decades.”
FMW and NYMR inked the deal at the close of 2023 and preliminary engineering work is expected to begin in early 2024. Fundraising for the restoration project is underway, and the timeline to see the locomotive returned to operation largely depends on public donations. To learn more visit the NYMR website.
Locomotive 3672 was built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow in 1944 for use by the British Army. It was first deployed to Egypt and then was later sold to a railroad in Greece. It ran into the 1970s before being brought back to the UK for preservation. It returned to service in the preservation era in 1989 and ran until the 2000s.
In North America, a number of locomotives have been converted to burn oil because of environmental concerns (such as at Colorado’s Durango & Silverton) or for operational convenience, especially with larger main line locomotives (such as Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 2716, currently being restored in Kentucky).