No.8 was delivered new to the NCBs Baggeridge Colliery. The engine worked over part of the Pensnett Railway to deliver coal to the Round Oak Steelworks near Walsall. A steelworks diesel would meet the train and take over for the rest of the journey to the works. The other engine here was HE3777 now preserved on the North Staffs Railway.When Baggeridge closed No.8 went to several Staffordshire collieries, including Hilton Main (twice,) Cannock Wood, Granville and West Cannock Collieries. Operations at Granville were interesting in that trains included a brakevan in the middle of the train. On the climb up to the pit with empties it was practice to uncouple the back half of the train and leave it whilst the engine took the first half up the steep final climb into the colliery. The engine would then return for the back half which was held on the gradient by the brakevan. The engine was spare to a diesel at West Cannock but saw extended periods of use particularly in the summer. It went to Bickershaw Colliery in Leigh in 1977 and was the last steam engine to work there in 1983. It then went to the East Lancashire railway where it was named Sir Robert Peel.Like most preserved railways the ELR wanted to use ex Mainline engines so it wasn't long before No.8 was spare to requirements. It was then loaned to the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire railway and worked there until loaned to the Princes Risboro & Chinnor railway. They bought the engine from the East Lancs and used it until 1998. Due to the repair needed in the firebox they decided to sell the engine to John Marrow this autumn. It arrived at Embsay on Monday December 4th.

John Glaze our boiler inspector has now looked at the boiler and recommended that the firebox tubeplate is removed this will allow the flange to be reformed and then the tubeplate can be refitted. This will effect a proper seal to the top lap joint which the poorly executed chisel work done when the loco was first overhauled in preservation had only made worse. The welded in longitudinal stays will be replaced with proper threaded and bolted stays, we beleive in tried and tested thorough methods, not modern short cuts, especially where boilers are concerned!

Livery details

Whilst working in Staffordshire No.8 was plain glossy black with No.8 in large numbers on the bunker, and that was it, very plain. However the engine was well kept and always looked smart. In 1978 the engine was repainted into a light blue and was named Bickershaw in gold letters edged in black and red with red lining to the cab and bunker. The intended lining to the tank was never applied. No.8 didn't run for long in this livery as it sheared its blastpipe whilst on its second run of the day with Fred Larner at the regulator. It then got painted into a very drab dark green for its part in the children's film 'The Hills of Heaven' and it was renumbered No.7. It ran in this livery for the rest of its time at Bickershaw until 1983. At the East Lanc's it was painted an elaborately lined out maroon which was probably a bit over fussy for the engine, it is in this livery that it has been acquired. It is intended that when repaired it will be painted in one of the Walkden Liveries and renamed.