Katie is the Kirklees Light Railway’s oldest locomotive and was built in 1954 by Trevor Guest for the Dudley Zoo Railway and entered service there in 1956.
Katie was built to designs by Ernest W. Twining and is a type 2-4-2 engine. Katie is perhaps best known for her work at the Fairbourne Railway in Wales from 1965-1985.
Before the KLR’s acquisition of Katie in 2015, the locomotive was painstakingly restored at the Windmill Farm Railway in Lancashire. The work included a brand new boiler built to modern standards and the restoration of many detailed features that had been lost for years.
Since moving to Kirklees Light Railway, Katie has become a firm favourite with staff and visitors alike and can be seen in service on most operating days and during special events.