The story of the Green Dragon steam train.
13 August 2024
By Amy Brear
The UK has a rich history when it comes to railways. From the famous LNER A3 No. 60103 Flying Scotsman to the world’s fastest steam train, the A4 class locomotive Mallard, the UK has produced some of the most well-known steam trains in history. But have you heard of the Green Dragon steam train? This locomotive didn’t start out with the name ‘Green Dragon’, but its appearance in a 1970 film gave it the name we use today.
When the Class 25 steam engine was built in 1887 it was given the nickname ‘Ironclad’, after the battleships that were being built when the class was introduced. The locomotive spent its early life on the Axholme Joint Railway at Goole shed for the transport of passenger and goods. It then moved to Wakefield and used for coal traffic to and from the Yorkshire and Lancashire pits to Goole and Hull.
In 1959 Ironclad was removed from service, and it would have been the end of the steam engine, if it hadn’t been for the arrival of one, Mr Tony Cox. The locomotive became the focus of one of the earliest private locomotive purchase schemes established across the UK.
Mr Cox purchased the steam locomotive and kept it in Retford, Nottingham. He then became secretary of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and in 1965 moved Ironclad to the Worth Valley in a bid to bring it back to life.
Fast forward to 1970, and the premiere of the feature film ‘The Railway Children’. The film was made based on the 1906 novel written by Edith Nesbit, follows the adventures of three siblings, Roberta ‘Bobbie’, Phyllis and Peter, who move to a rural village called Oakworth after their father is falsely accused of being a spy in London. The children befriend the local station porter, Albert Perks, and become involved in various railway-related escapades.
It was during the release of the film that the steam train gained its unofficial name ‘Green Dragon’.
In later years the engine also featured in BBC’s ‘Born and Bred’ and the remake of ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’.
In 2012 the engine was withdrawn from service once again, and housed at Oxenhope, but in 2016 it was moved to Haworth, where a major restoration project took place. The project was completed, and the Green Dragon was celebrated during the 50th anniversary of the Railway Children in 2020.
If you want to step on board this historic locomotive yourself, you can do!
Our 2-day Railway Children's Green Dragon Steam Train & York coach break, departing 29th September, is an ideal way to see the beautiful city of York, as well as enjoying a journey on the Green Dragon on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. Not only that but you’ll be treated to a talk by Graham Mitchell, who played the train guard, and Chris Witty, who played the Boy in the Red Jersey, sharing with us behind-the-scenes facts and fun stories on set during the filming of the 70s classic.
This fabulous break is now on offer too!
WAS £169pp NOW £129pp!
Book now.