THE Long Shop Museum at Leiston will be without its popular Aveling & Porter 4wWTG Sirapite (6158/1906) this summer while the Rochester-built locomotive makes an extended visit to the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway (MSLR).

The geared locomotive spent 33 years in Leiston as the works shunter for traction engine manufacturer Richard Garrett & Sons.

It is expected to arrive at Brockford on April 5 and will remain throughout the peak season. It will be Sirapite’s first visit away from Leiston since it returned to steam in 2009 after a five-year, Heritage Lottery-funded restoration.

However, owing to the locomotive’s light weight (8 tons 10 cwt) and absence of vacuum braking gear, Sirapite will not work the MSLR’s passenger trains during its stay. Instead it will be steamed on selected days to provide shunting and goods vehicle demonstrations. 

Read more in the March 2019 issue of The RM – on sale now!

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