Thieves grab name plate from museum's loco

[John Ashworth]

Thieves grab name plate from museum's loco

25 Jan. 2007: York Press, UK: By Helen Gabriel


THIEVES have stolen a brass nameplate from an historic locomotive while it
was on display at York's National Railway Museum.

The plate, which is oval-shaped and painted black, was taken from the
Furness Railway 0-4-0 No 3, a steam locomotive built in 1846.

Nicknamed Coppernob, because it has a copper dome over the fire box at the
end of the boiler, the historic engine is on display in the museum's Station
Hall.

The theft was discovered by staff during routine cleaning on January 2 and
was reported to the police.

Andrew Scott, head of the National Railway Museum, said: "Unlike many
museums where artefacts are exhibited behind glass, these great railway
treasures are openly displayed in good faith for the benefit of the
thousands of visitors who come to the NRM to enjoy with our collections at
close quarters.

"It is a very great shame when that trust is abused by a small minority of
extremely selfish and dishonest people. "The plate taken from Coppernob is
priceless to the nation but worth much less on the open market because it
can never be sold or displayed honestly.

"Fortunately theft of items on display is rare and the NRM has an excellent
track record over its 31-year history. Nevertheless we will, as a matter of
course, review our security arrangements following this incident."

The nameplate is the latest in a string of thefts of railway heritage.
Experts believe they are being melted down and sold.

A nameplate was stolen from the steam locomotive Dame Vera Lynn - which is
featured on ITV's Heartbeat - while it was being repaired at an engineering
workshop in Bury, and West Yorkshire Police are appealing for information
after the "totem" signs from Damems station on the Keighley and Worth Valley
Railway were stolen.

Lincolnshire Police are investigating after brass castings and fittings were
taken from the Jurassic locomotive on the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway.

Coppernob was used to pull loads of iron ore and slate from North Cumbria
and was last used in 1898.

It also hauled the first passenger train on the Furness Railway and was
placed in a glass case at Barrow railway station on its retirement.

It was removed during the Second World War after the station was bombed but
returned home to the Furness area to mark the 150th anniversary of its first
passenger service in 1996.

The locomotive was designed by Edward Bury, the rolling stock manager of the
London and Birmingham Railway and Great Northern Railway.

It was built by Bury, Curtis and Kennedy for the Furness Railway and was the
company's third locomotive.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to phone York Police on
0845 60 60 247.