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These days, I often hear classic car lovers worrying for the future of collectors’ automobiles. And my response is, “If the steam locomotive enthusiasts can find a way, so can we.” One of those enthusiasts Iain Smith who was a main driver in the restoration of Scotland’s Carmyllie Pilot.

That 75-year-old train went for its first ride in 44 years this month. Smith said,
“It was very emotional to see it up and running again.” But how does one even go about restoring a steam locomotive. With some help from your friends, that’s how.

Carmyllie Pilot was built in the early 1950s and was in many ways dated when it first hit the tracks. It carried freight and passengers around Scotland, often completing the shuttle run between Angus and Fife, until it was retired 1966.

The Carmyllie Pilot was a traditional Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 engine (serial number 46464 to be exact). So its traditional design coupled with its relatively short working life made it an excellent candidate for a heritage line. A former London North Eastern Railway railway engineer (also named Ian, but Ian Fraser) bought it and sent it to a museum in Dundee, then to Aviemore’s Strathspey Railway where it got to stretch its legs operating on a heritage line.

In 1989, mechanical problems made Fraser pull it off the tracks in 1989. Fraser died before he could restore the train. But he wasn’t its only fan. By 2000, the steam engine had so many fans they formed the Carmyllie Pilot Company Ltd to restore it.

Carmyllie Pilot running in 2024 | Derek Hoskins via YouTube

Iain Smith admits the company had to fully disassemble the machine. “It was like a giant Meccano kit at our site at one time.” They also found there were many parts they could no longer buy. Dozens of components had to be custom made. The company needed to make new cab sides, running plates and smokebox.

The rise of the internet connected vintage locomotive fans across the world and made advice and parts easier to trade. Now, 24 years after beginning, the Carmyllie Pilot Company finally fired up their pride and joy.

Mr Smith said: “We’ve accomplished what we set out to do 24 years ago.”

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Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.