River Irt

   River Irt  River Irt is a steam engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
 * Number: 3
 * Duties: Passenger service
 * Built: 1894
 * Builder: Sir Arthur Heywood
 * Configuration: 0-8-2, previously 0-8-0T

Bio
An 0-8-0T, constructed for the Duffield Bank Railway by Sir Arthur Heywood in 1894. It arrived in Ravenglass via the Gretna munitions factory in 1917 with Ella and was principally used on stone trains. It received a major overhaul and rebuilt at Murthwaite in 1927, becoming a 0-8-2 tender locomotive named River Irt. It has remained in traffic on passenger duties ever since and is now the oldest working 15" gauge locomotive in the world. In 1972 it was rebuilt to a narrow gauge outline, and was then reboilered in 1977, giving the locomotive its current appearance. It has visited the National Railway Museum in York and was part of the Ratty fleet at the Liverpool and Gateshead Garden Festival Railways in 1984 and 1990. The livery of the loco is currently mid-green with yellow and black lining. River Irt carries an iron plaque showing it as it was originally - an 0-8-0 tank engine without a cab.

Bert is based on him, with added buffers.

Appearances
River Irt also appeared in a Season 17 learning segment which features Mr. Perkins, all about the different gauges of track.