Green Arrow locomotive becomes Doncaster museum exhibit

A steam locomotive is to help tell the story of the "golden age of steam" in the town where it was built 85 years ago.

Green Arrow was manufactured at the Doncaster Plant Works in 1936. It was withdrawn from service in 1962.

It will be on display in the new Danum Gallery, Library and Museum.

The town's mayor Ros Jones said the exhibition would highlight the contribution Doncaster had made to the rail industry.

Green Arrow will join No. 251 locomotive in the museum's rail heritage centre.

Ms Jones said it would tell "a compelling story of the golden age of steam and the major contribution Doncaster has made to the rail industry".

No official opening date for the new museum has been confirmed due to Covid-19, however some of its collections will be available to view online in March.

Green Arrow, designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, is the last surviving British 2-6-2 tender locomotive, according to the council.

He also designed the record-breaking locomotives Flying Scotsman, named after the service from Edinburgh to London, and Mallard.

Both were built in Doncaster in 1923 and 1938 respectively.

Part of the new exhibition features railway ephemera collected by Doncaster Grammar School. Pupils and teachers at the school, now Hall Cross Academy, set up a railway society in the 1930s.

Chris Barron, on behalf of the collection, said: "Our aim is to make this centre a recognised place of discovery for railway heritage, something that has been missing from this railway town for too long."

The locomotives are both on loan as static exhibits from the National Railway Museum.

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