The loco allocated fleet no.17 arrived on 3 April 2021. This is a bare Motor Rail frame which arrived from Threlkeld. It was originally understood to be MR7191, but subsequent investigation showed a case of mistaken identity, and that the correct number appears to be MR8698. This locos was new in 1941, and was despatched new to “McAlpine at Hawthorn, Wiltshire”. This is the same location as used for fleet no.20, Motor Rail 8748. Hawthorn is close to the huge underground bomb stores at Corsham (which still exist) – it is also adjacent to the famous Box Tunnel on the Great Western main line. McAlpine developed a fallback aircraft engine factory for use by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in the area – it is possible that both locos were used on that project. The next few years for MR8698 are a mystery; in 1981, a peat works near Wigton (Cumbria) acquired the loco from a Yorkshire Water Authority plant depot at Riccall (near York). MR7191 was at the same peatworks, which is where the mix-up seems to have originated.
