Ashington No. 5

• Builder: Peckett & Sons

• Built in: 1939

• Works Number: 1970

• Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0ST

• Worked for: National Coal Board

• Current Status: Undergoing Overhaul

This steam locomotive was built for the Ashington Coal Company in Northumberland, which had one of Britain’s most extensive colliery railways.

Ashington No.5 left the Bristol works for Ashington in May 1939. Ashington No.5 is one of three Class OX1 Pecketts to have been brought to work in Ashington in South East Northumberland. Ashington No.5 spent its life moving empty and loaded coal wagons between the pits that made up the network handling loads of around 500 tonnes easily. Part of its work also included running an internal passenger service for the miners, at its peak up to 100 trains ran a day. 

Ashington No.5 was absorbed by the National Coal Board in 1947 and continued to work under the same number. After a major overhaul in 1965 and some light repair in 1967, Ashington No.5 was finally replaced in 1970 by former British Rail Class 14 diesel locomotives.

Initially preserved at the North Norfolk Railway where it operated the lines earliest passenger trains, the locomotive returned to the North East in 1991 after being acquired by Tyne & Wear Museums, where after some restoration work and a repaint, it was restored to operational working order. Ashington No.5 was a regular runner through the late 1990’s and after some time on display in the museum returned to service. The locomotive was withdrawn from service in 2019 and is currently undergoing overhaul.