Thomas II ‘Christabelle E. Holmes’
Christabel E. Holmes, originally called ‘Samuel Whitbread’, much like her sister engine Ernie Turner was constructed by locomotive builder John Forshaw, this one was also built in 1988, making her one of the older engines in our fleet. She has been a resident engine at many different railways over her time.
One of the early lines is Pecorama, otherwise known as the Beer Heights Light Railway, she entered service under the name ‘Samuel Whitbread’. She got this name when running previously at the railway at the White Hart Pub, which was opposite the Samuel Whitbred Brewery house. She also entered service in a casual brown livery with red outline, this made all of the brass parts on the engine stand out.
The locos next appearance was at the original Echills Wood Railway in Stoneleigh. And after this the Hollybush Garden Centre, where it ran alongside Malandra, a fellow Thomas II steam locomotive. Samuel at Hollybush also had air brakes fitted to here, and come c2000 the railway sold both Thomas II engines, with Samuel moving onto the Weston Park Railway. Malandra also went to Bolebroke with Samuel, but at a later date moved to the Bolebroke Lakes Railway, splitting the two engines apart.
When Samuel Whitbread came up for sale, she was purchased for use at Barnards, arriving in 2015. She was renamed Christabelle E. Holmes at the official naming ceremony at one of our garden open days. After running in, she went to CMD Engineering for an overhaul. This overhaul also saw a full repaint into Gentian Blue, the livery she carries to this day.
Christabelle is currently out of service with some work needed, it is planned to return her to service once this work has been completed.