CR 34 Replica

The **CR 34 Replica** is a operational replica of a Caledonian Railway 34 class 2-6-0 being built on the Moorland Steam Railway. It was proposed by the railway to fill both a motive power gap and to recreate a missing link in Scottish railway history. The replica is due to be completed sometime in the early 2020s.

## Bio

Little is known since this character is not alive yet, but what is known that in 2014, the Moorland Steam Railway announced to the public that they were going to recreate a lost locomotive design from Scotland to fill a motive power gap on the railway. Two years later, a Caledonian McIntosh tender was sourced and it became clear to the railway's residents, which had no clue what the locomotive was going to be, was a Caledonian Railway locomotive.

The workshop added confusion since two different sizes of wheels were cast and it didn't reveal anything about the proposed locomotive, other than the fact it had six driving wheels and two bogie wheels. Hunter, who was helping in the construction, also didn't know what the locomotive was going to be since the team constructing the new locomotive was being secretive about the project. In 2018, The locomotive was announced to both the railway's fleet and the public to be a CR 34 class designed by John McIntosh in 1912. What amazed everyone, even the railway's own ex-Caledonian locomotives, was that the engine was an inside-cylinder 2-6-0, something not seen on the British network other than Sudrian visitor James. It was revealed and publicly launched in June of that year, with a slight problem with the champagne bottle.

In 2019, the chassis of the locomotive was wheeled and the cab was fitted, with their old friend (Caracus Smash Ltd, who built the replica of Killarney in 1989) to produce the boiler. The locomotive is due for completion in 2021 as a replica of the original CR No. 34.

## Personality

Due to this character hasn't even spoken or appeared as a whole locomotive, the personality is yet to be discovered.

## Livery

So far, we see that the CR 34 Replica is painted in CR Lined Black, but it could be unveiled in CR Lined Blue. The original locomotive would have worn these liveries and later on, variations of LMS Unlined Black.

## Basis or real locomotive

   The CR 34 Replica is based on the real Caledonian Railway 34 class 2-6-0. These unusual moguls were built by St Rollox works to a modified design based on the 30 class 0-6-0s of the same year and numbered 34-38 under the CR. They were the only 2-6-0s the CR had in its locomotive roster. All five were absorbed into LMS stock in 1923 and renumbered 17800-17804. The class was retired by 1936 due to the LMS' standardisation policy for locomotive designs and all five were scrapped.

## Trivia

This unnamed character was based on the replica of Dark Railway No. 1202, to be named 'Rick', by Thomas "Dark DJ" Dibton.

* It was announced in the DDJP/TDRS Series 9 Wrap Party/ Q&A video, Rick will not feature the memories of the original locomotive. The CR 34 Replica is the same story, since it's an all-new locomotive and features no memories from the original, unlike Killarney that features some parts from the original locomotive (including nameplates).

Due to the engine being under construction, this character has no name as is simply known as "CR 34 Replica" during production.

The illustration of the CR 34 Replica is really an edited photo of a CR 34 class for Train Simulator 2020 by Caledonia Works edited with a face.

The CR 34 Replica's model was made as a model that Shane Sowter decided to work on as a personal project alongside a similar model as his school major project. It was made using a method to be able to mass produced including a diecast running frame on the final model.

According to Shane Sowter, the CR 34 Replica (when completed after the final season) would be female instead of male like the original locomotive.

The CR 34 Replica is the third CR design to become a resident of the Moorland Steam Railway. The first being Jumbo.

The CR 34 Replica's public launch is similar to the events of the LNWR Bloomer replica re-launch in 2019, including the failed christening.