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Museum Loco Moves to her New Home

The Andrew Barclay Locomotive, or ‘Peter’ as it is known to its friends, was built in 1896 and will be lifted and moved using jacks and winches along with a special lorry supplied by Ainscough Vanguard, who in combination with the Friends of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum, have helped to fund the mammoth move. It will be carefully transported to the other side of the World Heritage Site, where it will be gently eased into place at its new home adjacent to the brand new Visitor Centre at Blists Hill Victorian Town.

John Challen, the project manager commented: ‘The loco was acquired by the Museum in 1969 when it was first moved from Shut End in the West Midlands and displayed at Blists Hill Victorian Town.  Since then it has also been on display at Horsehay and in more recent years at Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron.  We are all delighted to see it move back to Blists Hill Victorian Town, where I am sure it will be much admired by all our visitors.’

The visitor centre, which features a state-of-the-art exhibition and World Heritage Site interpretation centre, will open to the general public in time for the start of the school summer holidays in mid July.