David Shepherd (artist) - Steam Enthusiast

Steam Enthusiast

Shepherd owns a number of steam locomotives. He bought both 9F "Black Prince" 92203 and Class 4MT No.75029 "The Green Knight" direct from British Railways, where he had connections from painting various scenes for them. He still owns No.92203 "Black Prince" which is presently based on the North Norfolk Railway, the overhaul for which was paid for by selling No.75029 "The Green Knight" to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

All his African locomotives are British-built. In South Africa his 15F (Nº 3052), presented to him by Spoornet in 1991, is stored at Sandstone Estates in Ficksburg. It has carried various names, including "City of Germiston" and, more recently, his wife's name, "Avril". It was moved to Ficksburg in light steam from Pietermaritzburg by Friends of the Rail (a Pretoria-based heritage steam association) in April 2003 and it steamed again in April 2006, when Friends of the Rail operated it for several trips between Ficksburg and Komandonek with Shepherd on board. He also owns two Zambian locomotives from the Mulobezi Railway, given to him by then President Kenneth Kaunda. One is still in the railway museum in Livingstone, Zambia, the other located on the Sandstone Estates complex in South Africa. Shepherd donated the other, along with a coach, to the National Railway Museum in York in the UK, where it is in store awaiting restoration.

Shepherd was involved in founding a heritage steam railway in the UK, the East Somerset Railway, where the signal box at Cranmore Station has become a small gallery displaying his work. He is also President of the "Railway Ramblers".