Bloomer is an LNWR Large Bloomer class tender engine owned by the North Western Railway. He is used on enthusiast specials along with two luxurious observation saloons.
Biography[]
Bloomer was built by Sharp, Stewart and Company in 1851.[5] Prior to being bought by the North Western Railway, Bloomer ran on the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway in Scotland. Following withdrawal, Bloomer was thought to have been scrapped, until being discovered by The Fat Controller in an old shed in Wigtownshire during the early 1970s.[6]
After being brought to Sodor, Bloomer was restored at Crovan's Gate Works. His overhaul was completed just in time for him to attend the Shildon Cavalcade in 1975, which celebrated 150 years of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.[7]
Bloomer only makes occasional public appearances. Since the 1975 celebrations, he has been primarily used on various special trains, usually along the Ffarquhar Branch Line.[8]
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
Bloomer is based on an LNWR 'Bloomer' class 2-2-2, designed by James McConnell for the Southern Division of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR). 74 Locomotives were built between 1851 and 1862 to three designs, all similar in appearance but differing in dimensions. Bloomer in particular is based on the Large Bloomers, which had 7' driving wheels. All of the Engines were scrapped between 1866 and 1888, with none surviving into preservation. Two replicas, however, have been built.
The first (numbered 1009 and named 'Wolverton') is a non-working replica which was built for static display outside of Milton Keynes station, however, it was moved to Wolverton Works in 2006 for renovation, before being moved to its current home at the Milton Keynes Museum on 3rd March 2017.[9] The second (numbered 670) was begun at Tysley Works in 1986 and is intended to be a fully-working replica, however is yet to be completed.
Livery[]
Bloomer is painted in the fictional LNWR vermilion red livery. He has brass fittings and a copper-capped chimney. It is worth knowing that this livery, although elegant, is historically inaccurate and a rumour which Awdry might have believed, for the real life LNWR Bloomers were only ever painted in Brunswick Green and later Blackberry Black, although some members built in 1861 were briefly painted in a dark plum red livery.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
Companion Volumes[]
- 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (indirectly mentioned)
Lectures[]
- 1976 - Railways of Sodor (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Although Bloomer never appeared in any stories of The Railway Series, he occasionally appeared on Wilbert Awdry's Ffarquhar Branch layout, where he pulled enthusiast trains.
- Bloomer's model is currently on display at the Talyllyn Railway's Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at Tywyn Wharf Station.
- In A Day on Awdry's Railway, Bloomer is said to be part of "Sir Topham Hatt's collection of preserved locomotives". It is not fully clear whether this was intended to refer to the other engines saved from scrap by the North Western Railway - such as Toby, Donald, Douglas and Oliver - or if Sir Charles Topham Hatt II also had a personal collection of locomotives.
Gallery[]
The Railway Series[]
Miscellaneous[]
References[]
- ↑ Ffarquhar Branch Layout Commentary
- ↑ https://x.com/rwsnwr12/status/1419400356560347136
- ↑ https://x.com/AwdryStudy/status/1427733267265069062
- ↑ https://x.com/AwdryStudy/status/1427732411362709509
- ↑ https://x.com/rwsnwr12/status/1419400356560347136
- ↑ https://twitter.com/AwdryStudy/status/1427731197145370624
- ↑ RWS "Railways of Sodor"
- ↑ https://x.com/AwdryStudy/status/1427732411362709509
- ↑ 2-2-2 LNWR Bloomer - Preserved British Steam Locomotives
| Locomotives | Steam | Thomas | Percy | Toby | Bloomer |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Daisy | Mavis | |
| Former | Coffee Pots | |
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Annie and Clarabel | Henrietta | Victoria | Thomas' Special Coach | The Quarryman's Coach | Observation Saloon Coaches |
| Goods | Elsie | Old-King Coal | Suncole | Milk Van | |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Terence | Bertie | Harold | Caroline | Bulstrode | Murphy | |
| People | Mrs. Kyndley | Terence's Owner | Kevin Volley | Tom Tipper | |
| Affiliates | St. Pedroc's Dairy | Ffarquhar Quarry Company | |
| Infrastructure | Stations | Knapford (Harbour) | Dryaw (Goods Station) | Toryreck | Elsbridge | Hackenbeck | Ffarquhar |
| Sheds | Knapford Sheds | Ffarquhar Sheds (Carriage Shed) | |
| Tunnels and Bridges | Knapford Harbour Bridges | Elsbridge Viaduct | Hackenbeck Tunnel | Hackenbeck Bridge | |