14 <i>St John</i> is a Hunslet Engine Co. 0-6-0ST owned by the Severn Valley Railway that travels the country playing the part of <i>Thomas</i> at the popular Thomas and Friends events at many heritage railways. Built as works number 686 in 1898 for the Manchester Ship Canal it shunted the canal's railway system until it was replaced by diesels in 1963. Its design included a flexible front axle, and flangeless centre wheels to ease its passage round the canal system's tight curves.<br>
It was then sold to ICI at Blackley on the Manchester to Bury line as <I>The Lady Armaghdale</i> it was preserved in 1969.<p>
The locomotive is seen here in the yard at Minehead station on the West Somerset Railway before being loaded onto a low-loader for road transit to its next engagement.
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Photo by <a href="mailto:cmckenna@sucs.org?subject=rail-photo at railfaneurope.net">Chris McKenna</a> 12/07/2006.<br>
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