VOLUNTEERS at the Dean Forest Railway are hoping a locomotive named in honour of the author of Thomas the Tank Engine will help secure the railway for future generations.

The railway has acquired a 50 per cent ownership of ‘Wilbert’, built in 1953 as one of 485 ‘Austerity’ locomotives built after the Second World War.

The engine, named after author Rev W Awdry - the then-president of the railway - later featured in a 1994 book ‘Wilbert the Forest Engine’, written by his son Christopher.

Wilbert, like many of its classmates was a veteran of the National Coal Board and came to the Dean Forest Railway at Parkend in 1976, temporarily placed on a short length of isolated track north of the level crossing.

At that time Wilbert, as a mere industrial locomotive, had never been deemed worthy of a name but acquired the moniker ‘G.B. Keeling’ in 1981, after the first Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Severn and Wye Railway. G.B. Keeling became a regular performer at Norchard Steam Centre after the railway expanded from its original Parkend site from 1978 onwards.

Renamed ‘Wilbert’ in 1987, the locomotive then visited various railways around the country and operated regular trains in the Forest until being withdrawn for major overhaul in 2016.

Since then other projects such as track renewal and carriage renovation have taken precedence, but now there is a plan for Wilbert’s return to the tracks.

The Dean Forest Railway Society is pleased to announce that it has purchased 50 per cent ownership of Wilbert, in agreement with Forest of Dean Railway Limited. The Society – as the fundraising element of the railway - will take responsibility for bringing about a heavy overhaul of the locomotive. Wilbert will be fully assessed to identify necessary restoration work, a budget established and a dedicated fund created for complete restoration.

Tim McClennan, DFRS treasurer said: “This acquisition follows the success of the Society’s Emergency Fund which we launched in April 2020. Our appeal has raised over £70,000 so far from members of the Society and from very generous members of the public, after we had to close during the Coronavirus pandemic.

“During this time, when our operations have suffered unprecedented interruption and our revenue has been absolutely decimated, it has helped to secure the Dean Forest Railway for future generations to enjoy.

“The Society aims to reach £75,000, so further donations will be very welcome indeed.”