Conservation in Focus: Transforming a Tiger

Our North British Locomotive Company diesel shunter—known for many years as Tiger—has undergone a careful programme of conservation work, emerging with a refreshed appearance and a brand new name: Ann.

The renaming took place during our 2026 Museum Launch, where we were proud to honour the remarkable railway historian Ann Glen, whose decades of research and advocacy have helped preserve Scotland’s railway story for future generations.

Why The Work Was Needed

Over time, the north side of the cab had begun to show its age. The paintwork had cracked and crazed, and corrosion had developed beneath the original builders’ plates. These issues were especially visible around the driver’s window, the cab door, and the lower “bunker” area—exactly where the new nameplates and replica builders’ plates would be installed.

To prepare the locomotive for its new chapter, our team needed to stabilise the surfaces, repair the damaged metalwork, and restore the paint finish.

What Our Team Did

Our Heritage Restorer, Jim O, carried out a series of careful treatments to stabilise the engine:

• Damaged metal areas were cleaned and primed to prevent further deterioration while Cataloy filler was applied to rebuild uneven surfaces, then sanded smooth by hand.
• Fresh metal primer and undercoats were applied—madder red beneath the crimson areas and dark grey beneath the black.  The crimson shade was chosen as a close match to the locomotive’s existing Isle of Wight Central Railway livery, adjusted to account for the fading of the original paint.
• The cabside, door, and lower bunker area were repainted in gloss finishes, with the white lining reinstated by hand.
• Finally, the new name plate was fitted using non-intrusive methods in readiness for the renaming ceremony.

The result is a finish that is respectful of the engine’s working history whilst being visually coherent and appropriate for display.

Why Use Cataloy filler? 

Although not a traditional conservation‑grade material, Cataloy is widely used across the heritage railway and industrial heritage sectors as an engineering‑grade solution for stabilising extensive areas of metal loss where an object is exposed to outdoor or near‑outdoor conditions.  The material is valued for its ability to withstand temperature changes, moisture, and vibration—factors that affect large industrial objects far more than smaller museum artefacts.

In this instance, Cataloy provided a robust, workable surface that allowed the cabside to be safely prepared for priming and repainting.  This supports long‑term stabilisation and ensures the locomotive can be presented to an appropriate standard for public display.  Accessible, affordable, and effective at this scale, the material offered a sensible and proportionate choice for the restorative work.

Honouring Ann Glen

The final step was the most meaningful. At the 2026 Exhbition launch, the locomotive was officially renamed ‘Ann’ in honour of the extraordinary contributions of Ann Glen—one of Scotland’s most respected railway historians and a longstanding supporter of our work.  Ann’s name now sits proudly on the restored cabside, marking a new chapter for the locomotive and a fitting tribute to someone who has done so much to champion Scotland’s railway heritage.

Come and meet Ann

Ann is now on display at the Museum of Scottish Railways.  We invite visitors to take a closer look at the conservation work and the newly installed nameplates.  The engine is a wonderful example of how careful, pragmatic restoration can sustain railway history and make it meaningful in the present.

With grateful thanks to heritage restorer and volunteer Jim O for his time, expertise and care in completing this project.