As most of you will know this locomotive failed at Xmas 2005 and the cost of boiler repairs is more than the Society can afford. We have therefore done a deal with South Coast Steam of Portland in Dorset (run by Barry Gambles, who was CME at Loughborough for a number of years). They have restored a number of locomotives (e.g. the M7 for Swanage and an Austerity for Gwili). They will restore 7715 to working order at no cost to the Society. They will then have the use of it for 60 months to hire out to other railways. At the end of the period they must return it to us in good working order, fit for the remainder of its ten-year boiler ticket, except for the cost of boiler tubes if they need replacing. When they have no use for it they must store it at Quainton. If we use it, there will be no charge, but the clock will stop for their 60 months use. This way we should have a serviceable locomotive in 5 years and hopefully some use of it in the meantime.

Notes:
The text in this Quainton Railway Society publication was written in 2007 and so does not reflect events in the 7+ years since publication. The text and photographs are repeated verbatim from the original publication, with only a few minor grammar changes but some clarifying notes are added if deemed necessary. The photos from the original publication are provided as scans in this internet version of this long out of print publication.

Reference:
Pannier 7715 - Quainton News No. 97 - April 2007