Birdie

Birdie is a light passenger engine, that is also sometimes used as a shunter. She is the definition of adorable x10, and will win over any engine with her kindness. She was built in the year 1902 at Freeham works, and was originally a shunter, but when the Great Depression hit the railway like a boulder, a couple engines had to be scrapped in order for the railway to have enough funds. After Lucy was scrapped, Birdie was used as a light passenger engine, pulling small passenger trains from Port Riley to Broughton. For a limited time between 1937-1938, Birdie was given a small truck to be used as a tender for her rides. Until 1949, Birdie was used as a passenger engine, but after the Great Depression ended, she was used as a shunter again for a limited time (1942-1944). Soon after the war, many refugees and immigrants came to Wales. Due to all these refugees and immigrants coming, Birdie had to be used as a passenger engine again until 1949, where a new engine came in her place. After 1949, Birdie was used as a shunter for different stations when needed. Usually, she worked at Port Riley and Freeham. In 1975, when the railway was suffering a large decrease in passengers, Birdie was used as an all purpose engine, pulling freight, passengers, and shunting all at the same time. It was difficult work indeed, and when the railway closed in 1991, Birdie was kept in storage at Freeham works. In 2009, the railway reopened as a heritage railway, and when the workmen came to restore it, they found Birdie in a dusty, broken condition. It wasn't so severe though, and they were able to restore Birdie by 2016 after collecting funds. Birdie still works on the railway to this day.