North Eastern Railway 0-4-0T No. 985 (68088)
Wetheringsett, Suffolk, UK 		Location: Mid-Suffolk Light Railway
Status: Overhaul
Related Notes
Photo Copyright © Steve Frost
Here are the notes for North Eastern Railway No. 985 (68088), a 0-4-0T located in Wetheringsett, Suffolk. If you have additional information about this locomotive, and would like to share it, click the Add Note button.
Posted: Apr 15, 2026 @ 18:04:48 by Russell Newman
The overhaul on ex LNER Y7 0-4-0T No. 985, is now in its final stages as the boiler has been placed back onto the frames of the locomotive and work is now progressing with the remaining pipework and cladding to be fitted before the side tanks go back on and should be ready for steam tests soon.
Posted: May 23, 2025 @ 12:05:21 by Russell Newman
Sadly due to unforseen delays in the out-of-frames hydraulic and steam tests on the overhauled boiler, the ex LNER Y7 0-4-0T No. 985, will now not be ready in time for its visit to the Stainmore Railway at Kirkby Stephen East for their Stockton and Darlington 200 Gala. However the good news is that No. 985 will visit the Stainmore Railway for their planned Coming home Gala for the sole surviving ex North Eastern Railway C Class (LNER J21) 0-6-0 No. 65033, when that returns to traffic.
Posted: Mar 26, 2025 @ 15:03:27 by Russell Newman
Subject to completion of its overhaul, the ex LNER Y7 0-4-0T No. 985, will be one of several visiting locomotives, visiting the Stainmore Railway at Kirkby Stephen East for their Stockton and Darlington 200 Gala from the 23rd to 25th of August 2025.
Posted: Dec 20, 2020 @ 13:12:43 by Russell Newman
Having hauled its last Santa Specials at the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway ex LNER Y7 0-4-0T No. 985 has now been withdrawn from service having come to the end of her 10 year boiler ticket.
Posted: Mar 2, 2018 @ 12:03:04 by Russell Newman
LNER Y7 0-4-0T No. 985 will be staying on at the Mid Suffolk Light Railway for the 2018 season there. It might return to the North Norfolk Railway possibly in 2019?
Posted: Feb 20, 2017 @ 17:02:05 by Russell Newman
The LNER Y7 Tank No. 985 will staying at the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Museum for the 2017 season there.
Posted: Dec 21, 2015 @ 17:12:34 by Russell Newman
The LNER Y7 Tank No. 985 is going on loan to the Mid Suffolk Light Railway for the summer in the New Year.
Posted: Sep 23, 2012 @ 15:09:34 by Steve Frost
So small, you wonder where to put in the key to wind it up!

The NER class H of Wilson Worsdell's design was a dock tank loco. It shows the completely different approach to designing a small 0-4-0 tank loco that a main line company took from the approach of the independent loco firms like Peckett, Barclay, Hawthorn and Bagnall.

Where the builders of industrial 0-4-0s would opt for outside cylinders, inside valve gear and a saddle tank, the NER went for the same layout that was always used by such companies, only smaller. In the best British design traditions of the time, all the vulgar machinery was hidden between the frames, and neat side tanks were provided. This didn't do wonders for access to the machinery at the best of times, but on such a small loco, it must have been particularly poor, especially considering that the crew remain the same size no matter what size loco they're handling!