Locomotive No.6 Blickling Hall | Bure Valley Railway

Steam Locomotive No.6 – "Blickling Hall"

Locomotive No.6 Blickling Hall is a 2-6-2 tender locomotive, designed by Mark Watkins and built especially for the Bure Valley Railway by Winson Engineering. She was delivered to the line at Easter in 1994.

A major overhaul began in 2001, with the engine returning to service in late 2004. During this time, she was fitted with new cylinders, smoke deflectors, and a multi-jet Lempour exhaust, along with a number of additional modifications to improve her performance and reliability.

These improvements made her the most economical tender engine on the line.

No. 6's Build & Origins

The design of Blickling Hall is inspired by the Indian Railways ‘ZB’ class locomotives. Although she is built to half their size, she produces around two-thirds of their original tractive effort.

The locomotive is named after Blickling Hall, a Jacobean mansion near Aylsham, now cared for by the National Trust. Once the home of the Boleyn family, it is thought to be the birthplace of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII.

Following another major overhaul, the locomotive returned to traffic in Spring 2017 and continues to operate on the Bure Valley Railway today. No.6 remains part of the Bure Valley Railway’s own fleet.

Technical details

Gauge: 15 inches
Length: 28 feet
Width: 4 ft 6 in
Height: 5 ft 7½ in
Working Weight: 13 tons
Coal Capacity: 15 cwt
Water Capacity: 2,000 litres (440 gallons)
Wheel Arrangement: 2-6-2
Driving Wheel Diameter: 24 inches
Boiler Pressure: 180 psi
Boiler Diameter: 24 inches
Firebox Grate Area: 5.5 sq ft
Cylinder Size: 7 in diameter × 11 in stroke
Valve Diameter: 3.5 inches
Nominal Tractive Effort: 3,436 lbs
Valve Gear: Walschaerts
Livery: Lined Great Eastern Railway Blue

Still Hard at Work on the Railway

Locomotive No.6 Blickling Hall is a popular sight on the Bure Valley Railway, combining heritage-inspired design with impressive performance. Visitors can often see her in action hauling carriages across the Norfolk countryside.