Welcome to the 4247 Preservation Society

We hope you enjoy reading the following pages about the history and current running of 4247 and that it peaks your interest sufficiently to come and see her for yourself.

 

From the early days when she was brought from Barry in South Glamorgan to Wallingford it has taken a gargantuan effort on the part of so many dedicated volunteers to bring her back into steam, not to mention the gargantuan cost! But after seeing her again in her prime steaming along the railway track, the memories of all that hard labour immediately transform into tremendows satisfaction and pride. We hope that you will share that with us on the next steaming day.

 

 

A summary of where we are now

4247 entered the East Somerset Railway Workshop for another complete overhaul in 2023. To date with a steaming tentatively envisaged late Summer 2025, she has had new tyres, extensive copper welding repairs in and around the firebox, new laser cut cladding for the boiler, new firebox, extensive manual fettling, repairs to the bunker. In fact just about everything, which it needs to work hard up and down the Dartmouth Line. 4247 will come out on limited occasions when not required by the railway, especially in light of the amount of finance they have put into the overhaul. 4247 Limited has signed a twenty-year agreement with our hosts, with options both sides to extend for another period of time. Since starting and completing this venture, it is estimated that over a million pounds has been spent on 4247. No mean feat for a voluntary organisation. The company finds itself in a good financial place. Regular updates will appear on this site, especially with her first steaming due soon and testing thereafter on the ESR before going off to earn her keep on the Dartmouth Railway.

 

Latest News

4247 steamed over the weekend for testing, with a few runs in the sidings at Cranmore.

Very happy to report no major issues were encountered.

She will now undergo further testing to iron out any problems, covers & various other small parts going back which is normal for a major overhaul.

The plan from Steve is to get her ready for the east Somerset Railway Gala at the end of the month, after that she will put on the miles there before moving to her new home on the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

Actual testing dates are sketchy at the moment due to workloads there & at the Dartmouth Steam Railway.(fingers crossed this weekend🤞 please do not take this for granted)

 

4247 drew quite a fair few onlookers taking photographs, all those present & workforce there were very complimentary with regards to her livery & free steaming.

Staff at Dartmouth have also voiced their approval, with them having one 42xx in G.W.R green, one in B.R black & ours in the transitional period livery between the two owning companies.