Sentinels 8398 & 8400 Retired

I was saddened to hear this week from my contact in Brazil that the two other remaining pre-war double-engined Sentinel locos ceased their long working career on October 31st 2014.

Sentinel 8398 at work at Amsted Maxion Steelworks in Cruzeiro on 2nd Mar 2012.
Photo James Waite.

Discussions are under way to put the two into preservation; however, I don't know how things are progressing. I hope to have more news in due course.

Sentinel 8400 at work at Amsted Maxion Steelworks in Cruzeiro on 2nd Mar 2012.
Photo James Waite.

These two locomotives were manufactured by Sentinel in their works at Shrewsbury in 1930. They are two of three originally delivered to the Sau Paulo Railway, Brazil; I believe attempts were made some years ago to convert 8399 to diesel but without success and the result was scrapped.