Designer	Robert Riddles
Builder	BR Horwich Works
Build Date	28th March 1957
Operators	British Railways
Withdrawn Date	December 1967
Power Class	4MT
Configuration	2-6-0
Owned By	76084 Loco Company

British Railways Standard Class 4MT

From 1951, British Railways started to build steam locomotives to its own ‘standard’ designs, which were largely based on LMS practice but incorporating ideas and modifications from the other constituent companies, and America. The class was designed at Doncaster which was also responsible for building 25 of the 115-strong class. The remaining 90 were split between Horwich and Derby Works. The last in the series, No.76114, was also the final steam engine to be constructed at the ‘Plant’ as Doncaster works was known.
The Standard Four Mogul was primarily intended for freight use. Batches were allocated to every BR region except the Western.

The 1955 Modernisation Plan called for the phasing out of steam traction. Major withdrawals occurred during the period 1962 to 1966, and steam traction ended in early August 1968, coinciding with the Beeching Axe.

76084

76084 was outshopped from Horwich Works on 28 March 1957 at a cost of £22,082 and with an expected working life of 40 years but the Modernisation Plan of 1955 curtailed this drastically. 76084 was one of the last batch of locomotives to be built at Horwich, finishing with 76099 in November 1957.

Records show that 76084 initially went to Lower Darwen (24D) along with sisters 76080/1/2 and 3. They were then transferred to Sutton Oak, St.Helens, before Lower Darwen closed with 76084 leaving Lower Darwen on 5 March 1965. All but one, 76082 which was scrapped in 1966, were subsequently transferred to Springs Branch, Wigan on the closure of Sutton Oak in June 1967.

76084 was the last BR Mogul to be withdrawn from capital stock in Dec 1967 and sentenced to languish at Woodham’s Scrap Yard in Barry, Wales.

In mid October 1974 5 members of the Hallamshire Railway Preservation Society from Sheffield spent a working weekend at Barry with a view to purchase and to prevent further decay painted her with red lead primer.

However, it was in 1982 that Phil Rollin concluded his negotiations to buy 76084 for £7,500 leaving Woodham’s for a new life in South Leverton near Retford, Nottinghamshire. Phil placed 76084 in his back garden and gave her a cosmetic makeover. Sadly, Phil died in the early 1990s and the future of the locomotive became a little uncertain. She was bought by the 76084 Locomotive Company Limited from Phil’s daughter and moved to Morpeth.

76084 was returned to steam in May 2013 and to traffic in July 2013 after a 16 year restoration programme.