Maybelle the Maintenance Engine (Ex. BR No.80054, Pres. NWR No. 18):

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Maybelle was a BR Standard 4MT who pulled commuter trains from 1953 to 1968, when she was withdrawn. She also gained the nickname Belle from some of the other engines. Belle never really liked passengers as much as most engines. She found herself fascinated by track maintenance. Other engines thought she was strange, but she didn't care. When she was withdrawn, she was put on a sighting near Barrow. She was supposed to be sent to a scrapyard nearby, but no one ever bothered to fill out the paperwork for it. She would see some of the diesels that did track work around the area. Fortunately, they were friendly. One day she met a class 23 diesel named Felix in 1977. He said that he worked on the NWR, and that Sir Stephen needed an engine to help with track work near Peel Godred and Brendam. They called Sir Stephen and arrangements were made. Belle was unnumbered for a while. Then once Neville and John were officially bought, Belle became the 18th engine for the NWR. She helped fix some of the old tracks on the Peel Godred line. Then she helped finish work on the line from Peel Godred to Ulfstead. Once the line was done, she just did track maintenance around the island. She also goes to help whenever there's an accident anywhere. She gets along well with the electric engines, and she occasionally goes to Ulfstead to help there. Belle is owned by the NWR and leased to the Works. When she isn't helping there, Belle will pull the odd goods train every now and then. She is very patient since her line of work involves a lot of standing around. She is painted blue with yellow lining and a black trim. This livery is reminiscent of the early NWR liveries.

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