Rail enthusiast saves 1970s train from scrapyard for £1 - and plans Shropshire move

Robert Hampton, 41, felt like he now owned his own ‘massive’ Hornby locomotive after agreeing to take charge of the three-coach Merseyrail train in September.

The IT consultant had fond childhood memories of the network, which he used for trips to the sea and days out with friends across the city.

So when he heard that new state-of-the-art trains were destined to put the 46-year-old class 507 units out of service, he took steps to preserve the ‘Scouse icon’.

Robert negotiated with the owners, Angel Trains, to purchase one of the vehicles that Queen Elizabeth travelled on when she opened the network back in October 1978.

But the preservation society he founded now needs to raise £10,000 to move the roughly 180ft (55m) long train to a heritage railway by road.

Robert, from Liverpool, said: “It does feel like I’ve got my own massive Hornby train in a way.

“But I don’t think it will quite sink in until I’m standing there at the heritage railway and it's actually rolled off the back of the lorry and onto the track again.

“Since I was a little kid, I’ve always been interested in trains and rides on them. I’ve always been fascinated with how they work and things like that.

“So to actually get to this point where we have everything in place is very satisfying. It’s been quite a journey and hopefully, we’re near the end of it.”

Robert said his fascination for rail began as far back as his early childhood when he would watch Thomas the Tank Engine on the TV.

But as he got older, his interests spread into the history and working of different locomotives - reserving a particular affinity for his local Merseyrail trains.

He founded the Class 507 Preservation Society after it was announced that the old trains would be replaced with new class 777 trains four years ago.

And after a bit of persuading, Angel Trains agreed to sell him one of the old models.

He said: “I’d spent quite a few years hoping that somebody would get one and preserve one for the future.

“I sort of thought if no one else is going to do anything, maybe it’s time for me to step up.

“I approached Angel Trains, who are the owners, and it took maybe a little bit of convincing that I was serious.

“Once I assured them we had a plan and the train would be in good hands, they were actually very helpful.

“They were very kind and keen to see one preserved as well, otherwise they are all going to go to the scrapyard.”

Robert said Tanat Valley Light Railway, in Nantmawr, Shropshire, had agreed to house the train once it came out of service in September.

And he had already begun helping to prepare the track where the train would be preserved for future generations.

He said: “It’s like Hornby train set writ large. I’ve happily messed around with putting track pieces together that size [for models].

“But when you suddenly get to the full-size ones and you’re carrying around actual lengths of rail that weigh quite a lot, it’s a different story entirely.

“It’s been fun, but it’s been a big learning curve.”

Robert said the train his society had chosen was of specific historical importance due to its royal connections.

He said: “It was one of the first of its type in service and back in October 1978, Queen Elizabeth II visited.

“She did the official opening ceremony of the Merseyrail network, which is the system on which these trains run, and she actually travelled on this train.

“That’s why we’re quite excited that we’ve been able to get this little piece of Merseyside history and keep it.”

Robert said he and his society would need to now find the funds to bring the train to its final resting place by road.

He added: “It’s a specialist job, it has to go on an 18-wheel lorry that can carry it.

"That’s where the expense comes in and that’s where we’re trying to raise money."

Visit https://www.class507.org.uk/donate/ to donate.