Locomotive No.7 Spitfire | Bure Valley Railway

Steam Locomotive No.7 – "Spitfire"

Locomotive No.7 Spitfire was designed and built specifically for the Bure Valley Railway by Winson Engineering at Penrhyn in North Wales. She was delivered to the railway at Whitsun in 1994. Her design is loosely based on the Indian Railways ‘ZB’ class locomotives, scaled to suit the Bure Valley Railway’s 15-inch gauge.

No. 7's Build & Origins

On Friday 20 June 1997, the locomotive was formally named Spitfire by Wing Commander Wyn Evans and Group Captain Barry Titchen, then Station Commanders of RAF Coltishall and RAF Neatishead. The name honours the role played by the Spitfire aircraft, many of which flew from local bases during the Second World War.

In 2005, the locomotive underwent a partial rebuild to improve efficiency, returning to traffic in March 2006. Further work was completed during a heavy overhaul in 2011, when the front end and steam pipes were redesigned, again increasing her efficiency.

Today, Spitfire remains an important part of the Bure Valley Railway fleet and is owned directly by the railway.

Technical details

Gauge: 15 inches
Length: 28 feet
Width: 4 ft 3 in
Height: 5 ft 7 in
Working Weight: 12.5 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: 6.5 in diameter × 11 in stroke
Valve Diameter: 3 inches
Nominal Tractive Effort: 2,963 lbs
Valve Gear: Walschaerts
Livery: British Railways 1951 Locomotive Green

Still Hard at Work on the Railway

Locomotive No.7 Spitfire links the heritage of steam with the history of the local area, carrying a name that reflects both engineering achievement and wartime courage. Visitors to the railway can often see her in service hauling passenger trains across the Norfolk countryside.