The Bent Frame Motor Rail Owner's Association (and friends) held their AGM at the Stonehenge Works of the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway yesterday. Pride of place was taken by the newly restored MR1757, which was demonstrated by its justly proud owner and restorer, Nick Williams. Also on display was "Festoon", the resident bent-framer (MR 4570), and the relatively-recently arrived MR461, which was previously at the now deceased Museum of Army Transport at Beverley. The bodywork is a copy of the original, as it is believed that plywood did not offer too much protection against even the weediest enemy munitions. Really good news it that MR461 is to be restored by the Greensand Railway Museum Trust, fresh from their triumph with their Baldwin steamer. What's the common feature with all three Motor Rails? Not a compression-ignition in sight, all three being petrols. Another commonality between MR461 and MR1757 is that they were War Department locos from the First World War. The Moseley Railway Trust is in the early stages of planning an event for 2014 to mark the centenary of WW1, and perhaps, with a prevailing wind, MR461 might be a star visitor at that event. Time will tell.
