4566 Group
History
Bob Sim and the late David Rouse considered 4566 to be the most suitable for preservation out of several examples of the type engine at Barry. They wanted to save it and in 1968 started the “45xx Appeal” fund which became the 4566 Group.[1][2] The locomotive arrived on the SVR in August 1970 along with Fruit A 134290 which was recovered while awaiting scrapping at Barry.[3]
During restoration of the locomotive in the early 1970s, the 4566 Group was closely associated with The 5164 Preservation Group who were restoring Large Prairie 5164, the two groups sharing the same Birmingham Area Fund Raising Officer[4] and organising joint fund raising initiatives under the umbrella of the "4566/5164 Group".[5]
The 4566 Preservation Group
In 2022 a group of supporters, many of whom are also associated with the Friends of 4930 Hagley Hall, formed The 4566 Preservation Group "dedicated to the care and restoration of the locomotive", to raise funds for its overhaul. A launch at the 2023 Spring Steam Gala with a sales stand at Kidderminster, "Our first gala stand for many years", raised £500. On 23 May 2023 it became a Charitable incorporated organisation, charity number 1203207, Company number CE032373, with 8 trustees.
For many years the 4566 Group did not have a website or presence on social media. The Preservation Group set up a Facebook page and website.