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"Shortly before Amtrak’s debut on May 1, 1971, the company decided to paint at least one locomotive for an opening day press event. Locomotive No. 4316 was selected to receive a quick, one-of-a-kind paint job: black with blue and white stripes on the front and the Amtrak logo, known as the “Pointless Arrow,” on the side. It wasn’t much, but it was something, says Matt Donnelly, lead brand communications specialist for Amtrak.

“The big focus was on getting the railroad up and running,” he says. “There just wasn’t a lot of time to create the brand image.” "

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Happy 150th Birthday Coffee Pot No.1!
April 30th 2021

One of the world’s oldest working railway steam locomotives, Beamish Museum’s Coffee Pot No. 1, is celebrating its 150th birthday.

Coffee Pot was built in 1871 on Teesside by Head Wrightson & Co for Dorking Greystone Lime Company for use at its Betchworth Quarry in Surrey.

To celebrate the locomotive’s amazing 150th anniversary year, visitors to the museum will be able to watch Coffee Pot in action this Saturday, 1st May, on the museum’s 1900s Colliery Railway. Coffee Pot will be joined by four other steam locomotives on the museum’s Colliery and narrow gauge railways during the day. The celebration will be part of our participation in the national online #TwitterSteamRally2 event.

Coffee Pot, which joined Beamish more than 50 years ago, was built when Queen Victoria was on the throne and still has many of its original components.

Paul Jarman, Assistant Director Design, Transport and Industry, said: “Reaching its 150th anniversary is impressive enough, given the relative obscurity of the locomotive, but to do so in working order is no mean feat, and really does reflect the basically sound design, enduring engineering and simplicity of concept evident in the locomotive.

“We are proud to have such a resilient little machine in our collection – Coffee Pot being one of the oldest railway locomotives in working condition in the world.

“The locomotive is something of an acquired taste to operate, but it is so unusual and distinctive that it attracts attention wherever it operates.

“The survival of a machine built down to a price and intended to be one step up from the use of a horse is fascinating, as so few locomotives from that era, and of that lowly industrial status, have survived today.”

Afer 14 months of inactivity Beamish museum finally had some steam operating at the colliery village. 5 locomotives in all were used including this on loan 0-4-0 Peckett saddletank which is seen hauling chauldron waggons past pitmen's cottages.

Yes. In 1970s/80s in a UK published book I would get from library from time to time.
And I think, think, they are mentioned in a 1980s UK published model railway book I bought and have here at home.

Am not sure why, can remember no documentation, but my memory wants to associate the Wrenn name with mention of couplings.

Not quite but close. I have made kits, and I have also done partial scratchbuilds which involves using a model train in 00 gauge (4mm scale. Similar to H0 but H0 is 3.5mm scale. They run on the same track gauge), and converting it to 7mm narrow gauge (0-16.5 which is the UK's version of 0n30 (Or 0e in Europe)).
To do this involves building a new cab and chimney and altering a few additional things.

I have totally scratchbuilt waggons and a carriage.