Polish 'Slask' TKP 0-8-0T no. 5485 on the Nene Valley Railway

History

This engine is fairly modern as steam engines go, being built by Fablok of Chrzanow, Poland in 1959, as one of a large class of 406 loco's, built from 1950 - 1963. 90 of the class were exported to China. Visit http://hobby.ien.com.pl/kolej/Freight Tank Locomotives/TKp.htm for further info. It worked for 36 years in the Coalfields in Bytom, southern Poland and was withdrawn in 1995, when the mine closed. 5485 Came to England in 1997 and was stripped and overhauled at Llangollen. All the steel pipework was replaced with copper, the smokebox was replaced and a new cab and cladding, was fitted. The loco is now back in traffic, but further repairs may soon be required. The valves and pistons have always been blowing and the leakage of steam can be heard as a whoosh from the chimney when starting away.