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Description
This is Ethel, the Woodland Valley Railway's auto tank engine. She hauls local stopping trains up and down the line with her auto coaches.

ETHEL:

(Great Western Railway #1401, 1932 - 1948)
(British Railways #1401, 1948 - 1958)

Gender: Female
Builder: GWR Swindon Works
Date Built: August 31st, 1932
Wheel Arrangement: 0-4-2T
Withdrawn: November 11th, 1958
Arrived on the WVR: January 31st, 1966
Status: Operational
Age: 86

Ethel was built in 1932 for the Great Western Railway to work on branch lines. In 1952, she starred in the film "Titfield Thunderbolt". In 1958, Ethel was withdrawn from service and was doomed for scrap. However, one of the stationmasters on the WVR needed a replacement for the steam-powered rail motors which had just been withdrawn. So he privately purchased Ethel and a couple of auto coaches to run the line. She's still working on the WVR. She may be old, but she still has a few tricks up her funnel.

Trivia:
- Ethel is based on a GWR 48xx/14xx 0-4-2T auto tank engine. Today, 4 are preserved on heritage lines and museums in the UK
- The real 1401 did star in the 1952 film "Titfield Tunderbolt ". It was withdrawn from service on November 11th, 1958 and was cut up at T.W. Ward Scrapyard a year later.
- Ethel was one of the first engines on the Woodland Valley Railway.
- Ethel was named after Ethel Schumann from the 1995 - 1997 British sitcom Oh Doctor Beeching.

Description
This is Ethel, the Woodland Valley Railway's auto tank engine. She hauls local stopping trains up and down the line with her auto coaches.

ETHEL:

(Great Western Railway #1401, 1932 - 1948)
(British Railways #1401, 1948 - 1958)

Gender: Female
Builder: GWR Swindon Works
Date Built: August 31st, 1932
Wheel Arrangement: 0-4-2T
Withdrawn: November 11th, 1958
Arrived on the WVR: January 31st, 1966
Status: Operational
Age: 86

Ethel was built in 1932 for the Great Western Railway to work on branch lines. In 1952, she starred in the film "Titfield Thunderbolt". In 1958, Ethel was withdrawn from service and was doomed for scrap. However, one of the stationmasters on the WVR needed a replacement for the steam-powered rail motors which had just been withdrawn. So he privately purchased Ethel and a couple of auto coaches to run the line. She's still working on the WVR. She may be old, but she still has a few tricks up her funnel.

Trivia:
- Ethel is based on a GWR 48xx/14xx 0-4-2T auto tank engine. Today, 4 are preserved on heritage lines and museums in the UK
- The real 1401 did star in the 1952 film "Titfield Tunderbolt ". It was withdrawn from service on November 11th, 1958 and was cut up at T.W. Ward Scrapyard a year later.
- Ethel was one of the first engines on the Woodland Valley Railway.
- Ethel was named after Ethel Schumann from the 1995 - 1997 British sitcom Oh Doctor Beeching.