The North Norfolk Railway has announced that Great North Railway Class N2 1744 is set to make its public re-entry to service at the popular heritage line on 17 July, hauling special passenger trains for members of the Gresley Society and other key supporters to celebrate the completion of the engine’s overhaul costing almost £800,000.
The steam engine is then scheduled to haul some of the line’s services throughout the weekend of 18-19 July during the railway’s Golden Years event, which specifically celebrates the 1960s to 1980s when the line was saved, reopened, and extended, laying the foundations of today’s much-loved railway.
The engine is the oldest surviving locomotive from the drawing board of Sir Nigel Gresley who would go on to design numerous locomotives including ‘Flying Scotsman’ and ‘Mallard’. The engine entered service in 1921, part of the N2 Class built specifically to work suburban passenger trains out of King’s Cross and Moorgate hauling special sets of articulated carriages, also designed by Gresley. Typically, the engines would pull one or two of these ‘quad-art’ sets holding up to 600 commuters. Over a century later, No. 1744 will be paired with the last surviving “quad-arts” which are also amongst the collection of historic rolling stock lovingly cared for on the North Norfolk Railway.
North Norfolk Railway General Manager, Graham Hukins, commented: “We are delighted the Gresley Society, owners of the N2, have entrusted her to us to look after for the next 25 years and that our team has played a key role in returning 1744 to traffic.
“The Gresley Society has faced enormous challenges in the last 8 years with additional work and rising costs, and we are pleased to have helped with the reassembly, testing and painting to help complete this mammoth project.
“To be able to host Gresley’s oldest steam locomotive alongside the Quad-Art carriages that were synonymous with the class is a truly special moment in railway preservation, and we are thoroughly looking forward to all the celebrations planned.”
The locomotive passed directly into the Gresley Society’s care in 1962 when it was withdrawn from mainline service by British Railways. It was based at various different heritage railways across the UK, before moving to the North Norfolk Railway where the engine regularly hauled trains until 2018. The engine’s overhaul, a process that includes taking the locomotive apart for a mandatory inspection and thorough repairs of the boiler and where other parts are carefully examined, refurbished, repaired or replaced, was initially expected to take three years and be covered by funds the Gresley Society had saved up for the purpose.
Unfortunately, the overhaul was to be hit by the triple-whammy of Covid-19, war in Ukraine, and a much greater list of works required than could have been envisaged which more than doubled the timeline of the overhaul. After having undergone extensive mechanical and boiler work, and costs totalling around £800,000, the locomotive was successfully steamed on 12 May 2026 which marked a huge moment in the overhaul and the beginnings of the final stage of the project.
On 17 July, 1744 will return to service in style with a rededication ceremony at 12 noon at Sheringham Station. The engine will then haul two special trains for members of the Gresley Society and invited guests.
The N2 will make her public debut the following day as she tops the bill at the railway’s Golden Years event on 18-19 July when she will be one of five locomotives in action working a range of historic trains. Full details about the event can be found at www.nnrailway.co.uk.
Image credit: North Norfolk Railway
