Sian 2-4-2

'Sian' was built by Guest Engineering & Maintenance Co Ltd at their works in Stourbridge, West Midlands in 1963.

The 2-4-2 outside frame, freelance design steam locomotive was designed by Ernest W. Twining (in 1951) and delivered to the Fairbourne Railway in 1964.

During its reseidency at Fairbourne, 'Sian' visted the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (in 1976) for their Centenary celebrations, the Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition (1978), the Ravenglass again in 1981 for their Preservation Society 21st Anniversary and then onto the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway for their end of (1981) season gala.

Following the sale of the Fairbourne Railway to the Ellerton family, 'Sian' was rebuilt in 1984 to resemble an American style and renamed 'Sydney' & given the number 362 (the Fairbourne Railway phone number).

In 1985 Sian/Sydney was sold to Littlecote House, Hungerford, Wiltshire where it ran in the American guise until 1990 when the Littlecote House railway ceased operations.

1991 Sian/Sydney was sold to the Bure Valley Railway, Norfolk and in 1992 it was altered into a more conventional outline and painted maroon, although it was not to the original design, the loco was renamed 'Sian'.

1994 sold to a consortium of Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway volunteers (who became the Sian Owners Group) even though it remained at Bure Valley for the 1994 season.

1995 - 1997, 'Sian' is hired out to the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway to raise money for the repairs and overhauls the locomotive needed. By start of 1997 season, after two winters of hard graft by the Sian Owners Group, she was looking much more like the engine Ernest W. Twining had designed.

1998 and 'Sian' is again on the move, this time to the Kirklees Light Railway, near Huddersfield for part of the season until badly leaking tubes meant the planned for major overhaul had to be brought forward and 'Sian' was taken back to Ravenglass for the work to start. It took 18 months for the major overhaul to be completed and for all faults to be fixed.

2000 and the rebuilt 'Sian' was steamed and hauled trains at Ravenglass from Easter to the May Day weekend. 'Sian' then went to the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway for a brief visit before being moved to the Windmill Farm Railway, Southport.

2001 and 'Sian' again visited the Ravenglass for the Easter to end of May Day weekend period & then again onto the R,H&DR and also to Cleethorpes again for Spring Bank Holiday. After that little tour 'Sian' went back to Windmill Farm.

2002 and 'Sian' again visited the R,H&DR for a gala and in 2005 'Sian' went back to the Bure Valley for another gala event.

Apart from gala trips out, Windmill Farm is now home to 'Sian', where she lives with all the other ex-Fairbourne Railway 15-inch gauge vehicles.

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'Sian' stands outside makers Guest Engineering & Maintenance works prior to delivery to Fairbourne, from book 'Short History of Fairbourne Railway' Bill Hyde collection 'Sian' recently arrived from maker Guest Engineering & Maintenance sits in the engine shed at Fairbourne (c) John C. Fletcher 'Sian' running light engine over Beach Road corner, during it's May 1964 proving trials (c) John C. Fletcher 'Sian' & the Canteen arrive at the Ferry during Sian's May 1964 proving trials (c) John C. Fletcher 'Sian' and Canteen in loop at the Ferry pass 'Count Louis' and train in the paltform road, during Sian's May 1964 proving trials, notice the newly created platforms and defined bay for the Canteen (c) John C. Fletcher 'Sian' has successfully steered the Canteen into the siding at the Ferry, during it's May 1964 proving trials - good view of the newly made platforms and Canteen bay (c) John Fletcher 1965: 'Sian' at the point waiting for the off on a very damp day (c) Chris Holloway 1974: 'Sian' sits on road three in the main station building, probably early season when one engine in steam policy was adopted (c) Ian Goodman 1975: 'Sian' driven by David Black carefully shunting the articulated closed set of carriages along road three at Fairbourne (c) Ian Goodman 1975: 'Sian' running round the train at the Ferry - Barmouth basking in the Summer sun behind (c) Ian Goodman 1978: 'Sian' is prepared for the days trains at the back of the main shed, Fairbourne (c) Mike Woods 1978: 'Sian' is off on her travels to the1st  Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition, Granby Halls, Leicester - loading was done on Springfield crossing, no hi-ab cranes on trucks in those days ! (c) John Cocks 1978: 'Sian' is off on her travels to the1st  Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition, Granby Halls, Leicester - loading was done on Springfield crossing, no hi-ab cranes on trucks in those days ! (c) John Cocks 1979: 'Sian' posed in the headshunt at the Ferry with Brmouth Bridge behind (c) Bill Hyde 1981: 'Sian' at the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway for their gala (c) Bill Hyde 1981: 'Sian' on Hythe turntable, R,H&DR gala weekend (c) Mike Woods 1981: 'Sian' on a very damp day at Dymchurch on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, part of that years "tour" (c) Bill Hyde 1982: 'Sian' heads a packed train back towards the Passing Loop. She was put back on Fairbourne rails the "wrong way round" after her 1981 trip to Ravenglass & Romney (c) Bill Hyde 1982: 'Sian' enters the Passing Loop down road with a packed train. She was put back on Fairbourne rails the "wrong way round" after her 1981 trip to Ravenglass & Romney (c) Bill Hyde 1982: 'Sian' carefully entering Fairbourne main platform road on a typical "summer" days. She was put back on Fairbourne rails the "wrong way round" after her 1981 trip to Ravenglass & Romney (c) Bill Hyde 1982: 'Sian' carefully entering Fairbourne main platform road on a typical "summer" days. She was put back on Fairbourne rails the "wrong way round" after her 1981 trip to Ravenglass & Romney  (c) Bill Hyde 1984: Butchery by the road side !! 'Sian' is chopped into 'Sydney' outside the old engine shed at Easter (c) Bill Hyde 1984: Butchery by the road side !! 'Sian' is chopped into 'Sydney' outside the old engine shed at Easter (c) Bill Hyde 1984: Butchery by the road side !! 'Sian' is chopped into 'Sydney' outside the old engine shed at Easter (c) Bill Hyde 1984: Later in summer 'Sydney' is caught on Penrhyn Point bridge with Cader Idris & Arthog behind (c) John C. Fletcher 1993: 'Sian' not quite the original design but getting closer to it, at Bure Valley Railway (c) Bill Hyde 2000: 'Sian' is back to her old self follwing the major overhaul, seen at Ravenglass (c) Sian Owners Group 2006: 'Sian' at Windmill Farm Railway, on the occassion of the ex-Fairbourne workers & volunteers trip to Windmill Farm for a good day out (c) Bill Hyde

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