Ruston and Hornsby 165hp Diesel Electric Shunter D2961
D2961 in service
D2961 is one of a number of 165 h.p. diesel shunters at the SVRSevern Valley Railway, but is the only Diesel Electric example. It was built by RustonRuston and Hornsby Ltd. of Lincoln, engineer and locomotive manufacturer acquired by English Electric in 1966. Also, Ruston-Bucyrus Ltd established in 1930 and jointly owned by Ruston and Hornsby and Bucyrus-Erie (US) and Hornsby of Lincoln as works number 418596 of 1957, and was delivered new to ICI Limited at Winnington, Cheshire. In early 1965 it moved to T.H. Ward of Sheffield, and late in the same year moved on to Higgs and Hill, Contractors for Fiddlers Ferry Power Station. After returning to Wards, it moved to Tunnel Cement at Birsley, Flint in 1969.
In 1972 the locomotive was sold to Tinsley and Lovatt of Trentham, Staffs for overhaul, following which it was sold to its final owners, Patent Shaft Steelworks of Wednesbury.
D2961 in preservation
Following purchase the locomotive was repainted in BRBritish Rail or British Railways green livery, given the number D2961, initially used as the Bridgnorth yard shunter and occasionally on engineers’ trains, and currently as boiler shop shunter. It is owned by Pete Cherry, as is photographed in March 2015 at Bridgnorth.
Sources
SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Ninth Edition
