Fluff was the Lakeside Railway Society’s first locomotive – bought by the Society to haul works trains on what was to become the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway from the Steelworks in Barrow-in-Furness. In due course the Furness Railway Trust was established and took over all the Society’s assets, including the little shunter.
The locomotive spent three years on display outside Vintage Vehicles Shildon – the “other” museum in Shildon, County Durham, next door to the NRM’s Locomotion, but has now moved to the Trust’s home base, the Ribble Steam Railway in Preston. The locomotive spent three years on display outside Vintage Vehicles Shildon – the “other” museum in Shildon, County Durham, next door to the NRM’s Locomotion, but has now moved to the Trust’s home base, the Ribble Steam Railway in Preston.
Fluff is not currently stored in a publicly accessible area – and work continues to restore the locomotive to working condition – however after detailed investigations it has been discovered that the locomotive’s power unit is beyond economic repair, so efforts are underway to locate an appropriate replacement.
Read the story of the engine’s glory days
