A special visitor is returning to the Isle of Wight after an absence of 85 years as part of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s 50th Anniversary Gala.
Steam locomotive ‘Knowle’, one of the A1X ‘Terrier’ class, is visiting the Island for the Gala on 4th-6th June.
The locomotive worked on the Isle of Wight between 1929 to 1936 where it was named ‘Bembridge’ following the tradition of naming engine’s after the Island’s towns and villages.
The engine would have been used on the Island’s quieter branch lines. These engines gained their nickname of ‘Terriers’ due to their diminutive size, rapid acceleration and the characteristic ‘bark’ of their exhaust.
The locomotive is now based at the Kent and East Sussex Railway but arrived on Thursday on board the Wightlink ferry at Fishbourne. Knowle travelled on to Havenstreet and will now spend a month visiting the Steam Railway.
Steve Backhouse, General Manager at Isle of Wight Steam Railway commented:
“It’s great to welcome this magnificent piece of Island railway heritage back for our 50th Anniversary Gala. The gala weekend is set to be an amazing event for families and enthusiasts alike.
“We’ll be steaming three original Isle of Wight engines, with Knowle joining our resident locomotives W24 ‘Calbourne’ and W11 Newport.”
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