Blyth

These photos of the replica 3ft gauge "Blyth", from the Southwold Railway in East Anglia, may be of interest. The original railway opened in 1879, was closed in 1929 and was scrapped, along with its surviving locos, as a part of the Second World War scrap drive. It was one of only a very few 3ft gauge railways anywhere in the UK. This replica has been under construction for a museum society in Southwold by North Bay Engineering Services in Darlington for the past three years. It is likely to be completed and will go to Southwold early in January 2022.

The Southwold locos were maintained at the Great Eastern Railway's works at Stratford, in East London, and were painted in this blue livery, like all the Great Eastern's own locos.

The museum only has about 100 yards of track work, but "Blyth" will look very pretty when it runs there.

Best wishes,

James