Hello Everyone,

I’m Lawrie from LMM - If you’ve stumbled upon this page, and you’re not sure who I am, check out my YouTube Channel here: LMM

Many of you will have been here before when we came together to rescue Ruston 48DS 393303 from the scrapyard where it had sat for the last 39 years.

With its restoration well in hand, I’m afraid I need to ask of your help again.

Many of you will have seen my recent video showing rolling stock for sale on the Colne Valley Railway, where I mentioned that if Ruston 165 Number 281266 of 1950 wasn’t sold by the start of June it was going for Scrap.

Whilst there was a buyer lined up, they have now pulled out, putting this locomotive’s existence at risk. I need you to help me stop this machine from being scrapped.

I am asking you to help raise £6,000 so I would be able to purchase this before it is sent to the scrap yard, to undertake the most pressing repairs to allow this machine to re-enter traffic, and to move it to its new home - The Whitwell and Reepham Railway.

There are a few reasons for taking it to the W&RR.

1. It’s the home of 393303 and there is already a team of volunteers ready to help bring 281266 back to life.

2. 281266 worked for British Sugar in Kings Lynn, so this would be bringing it back to it’s home county.

3. It represents a suitable locomotive as the railway looks to expand and evolve into the future, as well as being able to operate the standard services the railway offers.

I don’t think we should be scrapping a working piece of British history that is 74 years old. If it didn’t run, if it was falling apart, I might be willing to accept such a fate for it. But It’s a running locomotive. It doesn’t require much work for this to return to traffic. It is simply too good to scrap.

I have identified the issue with the gearbox, and that is in hand to be repaired - meaning that there is a good chance that this locomotive will only require a cosmetic restoration, and this will all be documented on the channel with opportunities for you guys to come and join the team and get involved - and there are a few rewards being set up:

Everyone who donates will be sent a Digital Certificate and Fact Sheet for 281266

Anyone who donates over £10 will also be invited to the engines return to traffic at the Whitwell and Reepham Railway - and receive an invite to an exclusive live stream of the day if they can't make it.

Any donations of over £50 will be invited for a drive of the engine during its relaunch with Lawrie (or on another date)

Any donations of over £100 will get the above, and have their names engraved on a plaque in the cab for all to see!

In the unlikely (but very wonderful) event that we exceed the goal, any funds will be used to help fund the works on all three Ruston's moving forward.

Thank you to all of you for reading and considering helping out - I can't do this without you, but let's not let this thing's story be over and see it sent to scrap from preservation.

Much Love, Lawrie