Sian is the latest addition to the Kirklees Light Railway fleet and is owned by the Sian Project Group.
Sian is a 2-4-2 locomotive, designed in 1951 by Ernest W. Twining, built by Guest Engineering & Maintenance Co Ltd in Stourbridge in 1963 & delivered to the Fairbourne Railway in 1964 where she worked alongside her big sister (and fellow KLR resident), Katie.
In the mid-80s, Sian was rebuilt to an American style, given the new name 'Sydney' and sold to the Littlecote House where she remained until 1990. Shortly after, the Bure Valley Railway purchased Sian/Sydney and altered the design once again, painting the locomotive maroon and renaming it Sian.
In 1994, the consortium who were to eventually become the Sian Project Group purchased the locomotive from Bure Valley and Sian spent 1995-1997 at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway. During this time, the Sian Project Group worked tirelessly to get the locomotive looking much more like the original Twining design.
In the early 2000s, Sian spent time hauling services at Ravenglass, Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch, Cleethorpes & Bure Valley, often for special events or galas. In between her trips, Sian was housed at the Windmill Farm Railway.
Luckily for the KLR, the Sian Project Group decided that the locomotive could be based at the Kirklees Light Railway from June 2018. The locomotive is now part of the home fleet, regularly hauling services and appearing at special events like a Day Out with Thomas and the Steam & Diesel Gala Weekend. It is, of course, quite special to see Sian sharing a day of services with her big sister, Katie, one of our visitors' favourite locos.