River Esk

River Esk
Character Overview
Name	River Esk
Country	England
Relative(s)	Rex
Technical Details
Gauge	15" (381 mm, minimum gauge)
Power type	Steam
Vehicle	Locomotive
Fuel type	Coal
Configuration	2-8-2
Wheels	20
Designer(s)	Henry Greenly
Builder(s)	Davey, Paxman & Co., rebuilt Yorkshire Engine Co.
Year built	1923
Year rebuilt	1928
Railway	Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway

River Esk is a steam engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.

Bio

River Esk was built in 1923 as a 2-8-2 by Davey Paxman of Colchester and designed by Henry Greenly. She was first employed on stone trains, however soon found more use on passenger traffic. During a rebuild in 1928 by the Yorkshire Engine Co., the engine received a Poultney steam tender, making the loco a 2-8-2-0-8-0. This proved unsuccessful and was soon removed, with the frames being utilised nearly forty years later as part of the second River Mite, after languishing at Murthwaite. River Esk was out of service between 1940 and 1952 due to needing a new firebox. River Esk survived into the preservation era and a new livery of LNWR black in 1967 along with a new tender in 1970. In the 1980s, the Esk was fitted with a gas-producer boiler and received an award from British Coal, however this has been replaced in recent years. The locomotive has visited the Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway several times and was a predecessor to that railway's Greenly Pacific locomotives. Since July 2012, River Esk has been under a major overhaul inside the workshops at Ravenglass. Unfortunately, due to a shed fire, the work has slowed immensely and she is currently unserviceable. As of June 2018, River Esk has returned to service.

Rex is based on her.

Livery

River Esk is currently painted in the Blackberry Black livery of the LNWR with red, off-white and black lining.

Appearance

River Esk was mentioned in The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways.

Gallery

River Esk disguised as Rex at a Days Out with Thomas event

River Esk during her overhaul