Wednesday 21 March 2007

Porterbrook Leasing gives helping hand to Moseley Railway Trust


Porterbrook Leasing has donated two locomotive nameplates to the Moseley Railway Trust (MRT). These nameplates, removed from Class 87 and Class 90 electric locomotives, will be sold at auction to raise funds for the MRT.

The locomotive nameplates "Earl Marischal" from 87029 and "British Transport Police" from 90012 will be sold by the Sheffield Railwayana auction on 16 June 2007. Both nameplates are highly collectable relics which were fitted to the locomotives when they operated on the West Coast Mainline. The plate "Earl Marischal" will be particularly sought after, as the second plate from this locomotive has been claimed by the Railway Heritage Committee; therefore, the plate sold on the 16th June will be the only one ever to be available to the general public.

The Moseley Railway Trust (MRT) is a charitable trust dedicated to the preservation of the industrial narrow gauge railway. The MRT has recently secured a permanent site at Apedale, near Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and has embarked upon an ambitious development plan for the Apedale site. The MRT has also recently launched a major fundraising appeal in order to finance these development plans.

Phil Robinson, the MRT's chairman said "The Moseley Railway Trust is very grateful to Porterbrook for its generous donation of these two nameplates. The funds raised from the auction will help us with the construction of the new railway and museum at Apedale. We also wish to thank the Sheffield Railwayana Auctions team for their help".

The attached photograph shows Porterbrook’s Karen Jackson (left!!) presenting one of the nameplates to the MRT’s Phil Robinson (right!).