Local Stratford celebrity steam engine "Robert" who until last Sunday stood on a short length of track at the entrance to the Regional Station has gone!



In a delicate operation the 75 year old former industrial workhorse which belongs to the London Borough of Newham, and has stood there since being moved from the site of Beckton Gasworks in 1999, was lifted by crane on to a low loader to make the journey to his temporary new home at the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel & Wakes Colne station in deepest Essex.

Robert has been moved to allow work to start on the replacement taxi rank and coach stand. This is needed so that the present area can be used as a worksite for the construction of the extension to the station’s mezzanine deck.

He arrived at his country retreat on a wild and windy Monday 10 March but by the time our picture was taken later that afternoon he already looked quite at home in his new surroundings:



The arrival of this East Ender in this beautiful Stour Valley village even caught the eye of the local East Anglian Daily Times newspaper. It showed several pictures of Robert along with the news that he is going to share the honours with an even more famous tank engine - Thomas at the Museum’s Thomas the Tank Engine event over the forthcoming Easter weekend! For more information on this as well as being able to follow Robert’s progress during his stay at the museum visit www.earm.co.uk

But lest this new found fame should go to Robert’s head fear not. After a good spruce up he will back at Stratford in time for our Olympic and Paralympic visitors to admire this colourful reminder of the area’s railway history.