4wVBT No. 9599 William
Builder: Sentinel Built: 1956 Type: 100HP Steam Shunting Engine Weight: 23T
Water Capacity: 660 gallons Rated Boiler Pressure: 220PSI Status: Under Overhaul
Sentinel No. 9599 William was built in 1956 for Courtaulds Fibres at Great Coates, Grimsby. Originally, the order for William required that the locomotive was able to have its boiler pressurised direct from the main steam supply in the factory itself to reduce the fire risk inside the works. It was delivered new to the factory, and was finished in Brunswick Green with Red buffer beams. The locomotive received the name William in memory of the engineer, Sir William Stannier, who was chief engineer of the LMS Company. Once it had settled into regular revenue earning service, the locomotive was employed hauling wagons' carrying coal, caustic soda and other materials around the plant. At a later date William was joined by another Sentinel locomotive a the plant, No. 9596 George which, by coincidence, also found itself in preservation at Elsecar Heritage Railway for a short period of time. William continued in regular service until 1978 when its duties were taken up by a pair of industrial diesel shunting locomotives. Both the Sentinels remained on site a the works until the 1980s when they were sold for preservation. William went first to Peak Rail, Buxton, and was completely overhauled, rebuilt and returned to service hauling passenger trains. After the Peak Railway relocated to Matlock, the locomotive saw only limited use and was eventually stored. In 1994 the locomotive was bought by a private owner and initially moved to the Middleton Railway Leeds, and was restored to service for a short period, before it was moved to the Battlefield Railway, Shackerstone, in 1996. The locomotive arrived at Elsecar in March 2008, hauling its first passenger train service on 31st May 2009.
The locomotive is now nearing the end of a further extensive overhaul including new boiler, removal of the tappered front cover and repaint into LMS lined black.
