LADY Grania Cavendish, who loved to play with model trains in her younger days, had alife-size steam engine to play with this week.

She was asked by Furness Railway Trust and Lakeside Railway Society to Haverthwaitestation to grace the first official journey of the oldest working standard gauge steamlocomotive in Britain.

Furness Railway No 20, which hauled hot slag for 90 years in industrial Barrow, was dueto start a new life as a tourist attraction.

After a quick visit to the footplate, in company with trust chairman Tim Owen, LadyCavendish invited civic representatives and steam lovers from all over Britain onto thetrain, and Furness Railway No 20 pulled its first load of passengers on the haul intoLakeside.

"I have always loved trains, but this is the first time I have been asked tolaunch one," quipped Lady Cavendish.

Her visit was particularly appropriate, as the Cavendish family was instrumental infounding the Furness Railway in 1846, she added.

F.R. No 20 led a varied 130-year life before being restored and brought toHaverthwaite, said trust chairman Tim Owen.

After just seven years with Furness Railway, the locomotive was bought by BarrowHaematite Steel Co, working continuously until 1960 when diesels took over. It then becamea plaything for children, standing in the garden of the George Hastwell Special School,Barrow, until bought by Steamtown at Carnforth.

Stripped down into "a heap of scrap metal," it lay at Carnforth until 1990when Furness Railway Trust had the dream of restoring it to working order, said Mr Owen.

It took £150,000, thousands of hours of voluntary work, and the combined efforts ofVSEL workshop and students and staff at Furness College, as well as specialistconstruction and assembly firms around the country.

"Today the oldest standard gauge steam locomotive in Britain is now back inoperation," he added.

This Sunday sees the public's first chance to ride a train pulled by F.R. No 20, whenLakeside and Haverthwaite Railway looks for new volunteers with a members' day atHaverthwaite.

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