While preparing some of our engineering drawings from our North British Locomotive Company collection for scanning recently, I came across this lovely drawing.
In 1870 the 3rd Duke of Sutherland financed the extension of the Highland Railway line from Golspie to Helmsdale via his own Dunrobin Castle. In return he received his own private station for his castle (still in use today during the summer as a public station on the line from Inverness to Thurso). He also received the powers to run his own train on the lines owned by the Highland Railway. The 3rd Duke had his own carriages and locomotive built for the purpose.
25 years later the Fourth Duke of Sutherland decided it was time to order a new locomotive and carriages. He placed Engine Order number E1056 with Sharps Stewart & Co of Glasgow which was delivered to him in 1895. He named the locomtive after his castle Dunrobin. One of the unique features of the 0-4-4T locomotive was the enlarged footplate and enclosed cab with a 4 person upholstered seat set high up at the back. This arrangement allowed the Duke and his guests to shun the option of the saloon carriages and ride in the cab of the locomotive instead. Over the locomotive’s working life those riding in its cab included King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, King Alfonso of Spain, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Sir Winston Churchill. Has any other tank engine in history ever been ‘cabbed’ by so many heads of state?
In 1949, the new British Railways revoked the powers of the Duke to travel in his own train and thus the arrangement that lasted nearly 80 years came to an end. Amazingly, both Dunrobin and two of the Duke of Sutherland’s saloons survive today. One of the saloons is part of our National Collection.
Dunrobin and the other saloon were sold in 1950 to the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway. The locomotive ran large parts of the 700+ mile journey under its own steam. 15 years later both locomotive and carriage were exported to Canada where the locomotive was restored and used as part of a living history museum. During its life in Canada the locomotive carried Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne in its cab – more names for the list of dignitaries it has carried.
This isn’t the end of the story though because in 2010 Beamish Open-Air Museum in County Durham purchased Dunrobin and the carriage and brought them back to Britain. They are currently in the process of restoring the locomotive back to working condition. Their current target is to steam the locomotive in 2015. You can find out more by visiting their blog and in this article.
You can find out more about our collection of Sharp Stewart Drawings and all of our archive collections by visiting the page of our Search Engine Library and Archives Centre.
Dear Christopher,
Thank you for that little gem of locomotive history. It reminds me of the story of Anerley station so named by a Scottish landowner who had his own station built as a condition of the railway company using his land in south-east London.
It too was a grand affair built in the Gothick style but now demolished due to land grab opportunities by the then Railtrack.
Regards
Julian Hills
Hello – I would like to add some information while the Dunrobin was in Canada. The train toured the Province of British Columbian in 1966 to celebrate the centennial of the province. My grandfather, Charles Bucknall, from Nottingham, was the engineer who came to Canada to operate the train. After the tour was over he returned home and two years later he retired from British Rail after 45 years service (I have his gold retirement watch). He retired back to Canada to be with his family. If anyone is interested I have his scrap book that has numerous pictures and newspaper articles from the tour that I could scan and send to you.
Regards: Mike Dougherty, Langley, B.C., Canada
I have Sutherland Railway Plans & Sections of Deviation of Lines Near Golspie & Dunrobin November 1865 . This part was never built by Sutherland Railway the line was supposed to run to Brora but stopped at Golspie . This is when the Duke of Sutherland continued the line.