Labiche is a French locomotive that is owned by the Moorland Steam Railway. He's the first locomotive not fitted with vacuum brakes that the MSR had ever purchased and one of the few locomotives that is allowed on the mainline.
Bio[]
Little is known about Labiche, apart from the fact he was used in the 1965 movie 'The Train' as the main locomotive. He was damaged as a result of the crash in this movie and didn't like everything the film's director put him through. it's unknown when Labiche was built and withdrawn but he arrived in the UK (Gladsville Dockyard) only five years since that film. When he heard a movie was going to be filmed the railway, Labiche didn't want to star in it (after his 1963 film crash).
Around 1986, Labiche was given a fictional MSR lined blue to replace his old black livery. His SNCF number was kept with every plate staying on him. In 1987, he became mainline registered by British Rail, earning his Total Operation Processing System (TOPS) number 98517 (the '517' came from his SNCF number). Around 1996, Labiche was given a set of SR Battle of Britain-style nameplates in red, white and blue, but were removed for Remembrance Day operations after his official naming. By the time of the railway's 50th anniversary, he was undergoing an overhaul after being out of steam for three years.
Livery[]
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Labiche was painted in the standard SNCF plain black livery with his company and number plated on his cab and tender rear. He even carries a numberplate above his front buffer beam.
From 1986 onwards, Labiche has been painted in a unique MSR lined blue with the letters 'MSR' painted in gold leaf on his tender and his SNCF number in the same colour. This was later replaced by his new TOPS number of '98517' on the cabsides and painted in white on his buffer beams. In 1996, he gained a set of Battle of Britain class-style nameplates with his name in blue writing with a white backing and red outline.
Basis or real locomotive[]
The real SNCF No. 230.B.517 in 'The Train' (1965)
Labiche is based on the real SNCF No. 230.B.517. This locomotive's records are hard to find and the only well known fact about its career was in 1965. This locomotive was used in the John Frankenhiemer's 'The Train' starring Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield and was driven by Lancaster and Michel Simon in the film. It appears the locomotive, like the rest of its class, was scrapped during the late-1960s.
Trivia[]
Labiche is named after Burt Lancaster's character in the 1965 movie 'John Frankenhiemer's The Train'. This character did drive the real No. 230.B.517.
- The infamous crash from that film is also referenced but in reality, it wasn't 230.B.517 that was used in the crash. The locomotive was sister locomotive 230.B.616 with fake number plates as the real 230.B.517 was still in service.
Labiche is the only locomotive brought to the UK from France for preservation.
Labiche was the second-last object unloaded by ship at Gladsville Dockyards before two of the cranes were sold for scrap.
Labiche's model is second-hand HO scale model by German model railway company Fleischmann. Because of HO being different to OO, he appears smaller than the British locomotives owned by the MSR (other than Clyde and Cook, who are also HO scale).
To most of the fleet, Labiche is nicknamed "Cluttered" due to the amount of parts that clutter the outside of his boiler as opposed to hiding it under the cladding or in the frames.
Labiche is one of a few characters built with air brakes, while some have to be fitted with it.
- Due to him being fitted with air brakes, he can be operated on the mainlines (mainline registered), which the other two non-vacuum locomotives the MSR owns are Clyde and Cook, both purchased from Australia in 1977 and 1982.
Labiche's tender has a number, which is SNCF No. '22.A.517'. This was removed and replaced with his TOPS number in 1986.
Labiche's nameplate colours come from the colours of the French flag, red (outline), white (backing) and blue (writing) and .
Labiche's TOPS number is fictional, with the last three digits coming from his SNCF number.
- His TOPS No. states that he is a BR Class 98/5, which refers to what steam locomotives are known as under the TOPS system (Class 98) and his power rating (5).
Despite his appearance, Labiche is a four-cylinder locomotive (like King James I) and is also a compound locomotive (like Stovold).
Labiche has a hatred towards Germans despite ironically being built by Krass-Maffei, a locomotive firm from Germany.
- This makes Labiche a German-French locomotive.