Stanier 8f WD554 'Sir William McAlpine'

The Challenge:

The Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) have already raised £125,000 to purchase and move Stanier 8f No. WD554, now named after late President ‘Sir William McAlpine’, to our base at Bo’ness. Our ambition is now to restore the locomotive to service: we have set a target of £225,000 to achieve this. Once complete, WD554 will be made available for use on both the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway and other preserved lines across the county. This is your opportunity to help us to restore this wonderful engine for future generations. Support us by making a ‘one off’ donation, or better still, becoming a regular monthly donator (‘Covenantor’).

The History:

Built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow, WD554 was first steamed on 28th February 1942 during the peak of WW2 and was initially loaned by the Ministry of Supply (War Department) to the LMS. On conclusion of this hire, she was converted to right hand drive and shipped to Turkey in 1943 as part of the steps to ensure Turkey’s ongoing assistance to the allies in the war effort.The class became affectionately known as ‘Churchills’ in Turkey. TCDD 45170 (as she was then known) was saved from the cutters torch and was returned to the UK in 2010. Four years later the SRPS agreed to purchase the locomotive and bring her back to her country of construction.  The front-half of locomotive is currently on display in the Museum of Scottish whilst SRPS volunteers overhaul her tender. Regular updates can be found on www.srpssteam.com.