Albert

**Albert** is a red tank engine who worked on the Furness Railway with his two coaches, Victoria and Helena.

## Biography

During construction of the North Western Railway, during the First World War, Albert Regaby, who was the chairman of the railway from 1915-1934, had loaned engines from other railway companies, including Albert from the Furness Railway, Edward's old line, with his coaches Victoria and Helena. Albert helped out with the railway's construction as well as delivering workmen to the construction sites as well as inspectors and heads of staff. He even took passengers on finished parts of the railway. When the whole line was completed sometime in the early 1920's, Albert, like many of the loaned locomotives and rolling stock, was returning home, as seen here at Vicarstown with NWR No.1 'Thomas', who was purchased secretly from the LBSCR in 1920 and then recently purchased NWR No.2 'Edward'. Albert's departure, as well as the others, would later cause a locomotive crisis since the latter had happened and government support had been withdrawn due to the NWR's military value ending after WWI had ended.

Sadly this would be the last ever time they've seen of Albert as he would be sadly scrapped three years later. However Victoria managed to find her way back to Sodor as a summerhouse in a garden near Elsbridge station. She wouldn't be back on the rails until 2007 when NWR No.7 'Toby' was in need of an extra coach due to Bertie being ill and wouldn't take his share amount of workmen to the quarry. Helena meanwhile was used for storage before the Second World War at Ulverston Station, with her wheels removed. She was then bought from British Rail in 1971 at the sum of £5 to the Lakeside Railway Society to be used as storage for their carriage works over their until her ownership was transferred to the Furness Railway Trust in 1990 and she was restored to her former glory in 2003 and now takes part of the Furness Railway's Vintage Train, hauled by FR No.20, the oldest working standard gauge steam locomotive in the UK.

## Personality

Albert's character appears to be like that of Thomas - Victoria described him as being gentlemanly and polite. However, Albert has a slight tendency to be boastful and cocky.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Albert is based on a Furness Railway (FR) Class J1 2-4-2T. These were first built as the E1 class, an 'off the peg' Sharp, Stewart and Company design. In 1891, seven of these engines were rebuilt as tank engines under the supervision of Locomotive Superintendent Richard Mason and were reclassified as J1s. To suit branch line service, the frames were extended to carry a coal bunker, supported by a pair of trailing radial wheels while their tenders were replaced with side tanks, that combined had a capacity of one thousand gallons. The J1s did not originally have coal rails on their bunkers. The class members were withdrawn between 1919 and 1924. The real Parker J1 tank engines were all scrapped so it can be assumed that Albert was as well.

### Livery

Albert is painted in the FR Indian red with black lining livery. The initials "**F R**" are painted on the sides of his tanks in yellow with blue countershading and the lining around his cab windows are also painted yellow. He has a gold builder's plate on the sides of his coal bunker.