Heritage Railway issue 331 **20 PAGE FREE PREVIEW** by Mortons Media Group Ltd

CANADIAN PACIFIC BACK INSERVICE

New-buildA1PeppercornPacific Tornado catchesthe last of theday’s sunshine as it headsthroughHoghton with itssuccessfulmainlineloadedtestrun around the10A Carnforthcircuit viaHellifield, Blackburnand PrestononMarch 26 –see Main Line News,page52. DAVE COLLIER

EDITORIAL

Editor Robin Jones

rjones@mor tons.co.uk

Staﬀ writer Owen Hayward

ohayward@mor tons.co.uk

Senior news and railwayana contributor

Geoﬀ Cour tney

Senior contributor

John Titlow

Contributors

DonBenn, Sally Cliﬀord, Hugh Dougher ty,Tim Hobman, Designer TimPipes

Production editor Lucy Wood

Publisher TimHar tley

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Ra il –aroadstill leadingtot he future

THE fabulous newCelebrating TheRailway RockstarsOfThe Past exhibition nowrunning in HopetownDarlington says it all.Areplica of the first steam railwaylocomotivetorun in public, one of avaliantattempt to take the conceptfurther and,yes,the original Locomotion No.1 which headed the first-eversteam-hauled passenger train 200 years ago.Innovationbegan with inspiration,never stopped rolling on flanged wheels,made history, and changed the worldforever.

However, thanks to the heritagesector, the steam erahas never ended,despiteBR’sban on steam haulageimposed in 1968. Ashor thop to thefar side of the Hopetownsitebringsyou to thenew purpose -built headquar ters and workshop of TheA1Steam LocomotiveTrust which, hopefully,will soon be connectedtothe adjacentmain line

Would anyofthose volunteers who savedthe Talyllyn as the world’sfirst heritage line in 1951 ever in their wildest dreams have believed that one day, the movementthey started would lead to theproduction of anew A1 Peppercorn Pacific, with aGresley P2 following in its wake?

Yet, Tornado proved itself as apinnacle of the movementin the thirdcentury of steamand nowitisback on the network aftera three -year absencefor its overhaul,istak ing innovation one stage further into the future–with the fitting of the digital European Train ControlSystem.

Itscomebackdebut on the Railway Touring Company’sprestigious ‘Great Britain XVII’will hopefully be followedbyregular tours and the Severn Valley Railway ’s TrainsThrough The Ages celebration of Railway 200 on July 5/6, as highlightedin Headline News, page8

There, it will meet up with anew modern- day ground-breaker,Por terbrook ’s HydroFLEX, the UK’s first hydrogen-ready passenger train.

In aworld wherepoliticians arelooking at credible ways of attaining net zero goals, railways surely areaway forward. Thereopening ofthe GWR Portishead branch, as described in Main Line News, page 54, will,according to estimates,work wonders in tak ing asizeable proportionofBristol commuter cars,together with their associated emissions,off local roads

Our railway legac yhas fordecades been a phenomenally popular subject, especially among the manyseasoned enthusiasts,but Railway 200 is tak ing manysteps fur ther,showing howthe lessons from the past can open new and positive pathways into the future.

In my younger days,trainspotting wasa mainstream hobbyamong school friends, and very fewofthem did not receivea train set for Christmas. Fast-for ward to today, andmodern technologyhas long sincebestowed the younger generations with manyother pastimes.

Railway 200 will do much to rekindle an interest in rail at an earlier age,maybe producing its engineers and technicians of the future. Icannot but highly commend the initiativeofthe Friends of the Stockton&Darlington Railway which, as repor tedinNextStop, page 98, has produced afreeand very imaginativebookfor six to seven-year-olds at schools alongthe routeofthe line,and whichmay well unlock an interest into finding out whywhathappened there200 years ago wassoincredibly impor tantfor us all.

Robin Jones Editor

April 11 –May 9, 2025

Headline News

■ Locomotion No.1 replica undergoes running trials at Ruddington

■ New identityfor GWR Saint at West Somerset steam gala

■ Galatea to headline Severn Valley spring steam gala, as A1 and ‘HydroTrain’booked forRail 200 weekend

News

■ New frames order means unique J21 could steam by end of 2026

■ ShunterrepaintrevivesLongmoor heritage in Cumbria

■ Gwili Railway buysBillParker ’s London Transpor tsmall prairie

■ Unique Peckett Hornet makes its debut at Ribble steam gala

■ Mid-Nor folk anniversar ygala bids farewell to Mexico-bound HSTs

■ Final push to restoreLlangollen’s ‘Royal’prairie in time forcentenar y

■ Britannia delivers the goods at Nene Valley ’s ‘Best of British’

■ Audley End evokes 1968 with electric traction’s steam displacement

■ New signage points the wayto Stockton &Darlington bicentenar y

Main Line News

■ Tornado joins ‘Great BritainXVII’ roster in main line comeback

■ Vintage Trains’40th anniversar yof ‘ShakespeareExpress’under way

■ Portishead branch set for passenger reopening by 2027

With Full Regulator60

DonBenn marks thereturntotraffic of Canadian Pacific by look ing at two of the runs in 1965 which made this locomotivesospecial among the Southernsteam aficionados

Featur es

Subscribe Today30

Geoﬀ Cour tney ’s regular column.

Centre

Visiting B1 No. 61306 Mayﬂower crosses the RiverIrwell at Lumb on the approach to Ir well Vale

JOHN TITLOW

Main Line Itinerar y59

viewsmattermost.

‘It’smorethan just an engine’: CanadianPaciﬁc returnsasatribute to the forgotten women of Eastleigh Thereturntoser viceofthe Mid-Hants Railway’sﬂagship MerchantNavy locomotivewas morethan just aday to play with anew train. Owen Haywardspoke to theline’s CEO Rebecca Dalleyabout whythis occasion wassospecial andwhy theheritage railwaysectormust champion its people better.

‘Devon Belle’showstopper at EastLancashire

Legends of Steam

Howour heritage lines cope with changes at shortnoticecan turn disappointments into successes, and the Legends of Steam Gala at the East LancashireRailway wasno exception, reports John Titlow.

Staﬀordshire74 heritage lines highlight region’s rich rail legac y With ahigh concentrationof lines with industrial connections, Staﬀordshireisindeed rich in railway histor y. Martin Creese looks at the heritage railwaysaround the county and reports in wordsand pictures.

CONTENTS: LEFT: Thelocal equineresidents of Haworthare undisturbedby visiting LMS3FNo. 16440double-headingwithIvatt No.41241,working their trainupthe gradient outofthe stationand past topfield during theKeighley& WorthValleyRailway gala on March21. Seenewspages 22-24for full coverage of this Midland-themed event. NATHAN SPENCE

ABOVE: WesternHallmeets Southern Castle as theEpping OngarRailway’s No.4953 PitchfordHall arrivesCorfe Castle stationonthe SwanageRailway during theMarch 28-30steam gala,withthe remnants of the11thcentury fortification atop thehill behind. OWEN HAYWARD

COVER: On March19, SR Merchant Navy No.35005 Canadian Pacific returnedto serviceonthe Mid-HantsRailway,picturedapproachingNorthsideLanefoot crossingworking itsfirst passenger-carrying trainsince 2008.Its return to service waswidelycelebratedand paid tributetomanyofthe forgottenwomen of wartimework–see feature, pages42- 47. NATHAN SPENCE

Chesham swansong revisited in Sussex

Sixty years afterthe ﬁnal steam ser viceran on the Metropolitan branch to Chesham, aonce-common sightfromthe outskirts of the capital wasrecreatedatthe BluebellRailway as the line kickedoﬀits own65th anniversar yyear

Threeinsteam for82 Gwili’s biggest gala to date!

Six decadesafter theroute was closed by British Railways, atrio of GreatWesternsteam was to be found running through Carmarthenshire. Owen Hayward looked intowhatoccurred.

Model News 84

Rapido unveilsGWR County locomotiveplans,while Bachmann reveals Isle of Wightrolling stock

No need to poptothe shopsinfour weeks’ time...simplyorder your next HR from mrtns.uk /pre-orderhr or call 01507529529.

NEWS HE ADLINE NEWS

Home again! Locomotion No.1 back in Da rlington forbicentena ry

By Robin Jones

LOCOMOTION No.1 –which hauled the world’sfirst modern passenger-carrying train over the Stockton &Darlington Railway on September 27, 1825 –has returned to celebratethe bicentenar yofthe globe-changing event.

Designed by ‘the Father of the Railways’ George Stephensonand constructedbyhis son Robertathis Newcastle -upon-Tyne locomotive building worksand initially named Active, Locomotion No.1 is nowon displayatthe multiple award-winning Hopetown-Darlington attraction, wherethe Celebrating TheRailway Rockstars Of ThePast exhibition opened on April 4and runs until June 22.

Thefreeexhibition which, as reportedlast issue,also features replicas of twoother classic locomotives – Penydarren,designed by RichardTrevithick in 1804, and borrowedfromthe National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, and Beamish Museum’sSteam Elephant, designed by John Buddle and William Chapman in 1815 –isbeing held in Hopetown’sGrade II-listed Carriage Works.

Historical pioneer

Believed to be the first locomotive to use coupling rods, Locomotion No.1 wasused until 1850, when it wasconverted to astationar y engine and,asa result of itsimmense historical importance, preser vedin 1857. Between 1892 and 1975, it was displayedonaplatformatDarlington Bank Topstation, and from 1975-2021 wasformallyonloan by the National Railway Museum to the Head of Steam, which evolved into Hopetown, at Darlington North Road station.

Theloan agreementexpired in March2021, afterwhich Locomotion No.1 wasmoved to theNRM’s namesake Locomotion museum in Shildon, generating controversyin Darlington as it had been theresince it waspreserved and isdepicted on the town’s coat of arms and on the badges of its football and rugby clubs.Darlington Borough Counciland the Science Museum Group reached agreementfor Locomotion No.1 to returnfor extended visit, and the first such move occurredon March27.

Left:View from thecab of thereplica Locomotion No.1 on theGreat CentralRailway (Nottingham).

Right: Full steam ahead,1825 style: thereplica Locomotion No.1 undergoes running test on theGCR(N)on March18.

bring Locomotion No.1 back to the region as part of thesecelebrations.

“This exhibition is aonce-in-alifetime chancetosee threehistoric locomotives side by side,and Ihope people from around the countr ywill join us in celebrating our incredible railway heritage.”

Thelocomotive,driven by George Stephenson himself on thatlandmarkrun, has become the keynoteimage of the S&DR200 and Railway 200 programmes.

S&DR200 Director NiccyHallifax said: “Darlington playeda pivotal role in railway histor yand itisfantastic to

Thedazzlinglightshow from AllChange whichmarkedthe openingofthe S&DR200festivalatBishops Auckland on March29. ED WARING

Meanwhile,All Change,a spectacular open-air lightand droneshow held at 11 Arches at Flatts Farm,Bishop Auckland, as described last issue, marked the official startof the S&DR200 on March29.

Made possiblewith the supportof140 local volunteers,including 60 per formers,the eventsped through 200 years of railwayhistor yand major historical moments,fromthe Industrial Revolution and twoworld wars to the presentday,celebrating the transformativepower of trains both on the landscape and ever yday life.

Createdbyaward-winning performance companyImitating TheDog and movementdirectors RockyNortonand Katie Pearson and inspired by conversations with local historians, the spectacle brought histor ytolifewith large-scale set pieces,projection mapping,original music and afleet of 400drones from world-renowned SKYMAGIC, creating abreathtakingvisual experience in the nightsky

Also in the festival until Julyisthe S&DR Invention Challenge,which is inviting students in years fiveto eightfromStockton,Darlington and Durham to reimagine the 4000 miles of disused train tracks in the UK.Fivewinning ideas will be transformed into professional designs,

models or prototypes by expert makers,showcasingthe creativityof young minds

PresentedbyS&DR200 in libraries and civic spaces until November 25, theWhistleStopbespoke touring exhibition will travel round the region and showcase the railway ’s histor y usinghigh-qualityreproductions of importantartefactsand documents found and broughttogetherfrom archives in the UK

More details about festival events can be found at https://sdr200.co.uk

Replicaheads for Weardale testing

As the original Locomotion No.1 is too fragile to returntosteam, aworking replica wasbuiltin1975, and was based at Beamish Museum. Aftera period on display at the Locomotion museum in Shildon, it movedtoHead of Steam in April 2021, changing places with the original.Originally only at Darlingtononloan from Beamish,ownership of the replicawas transferredtoDarlington Borough Council which, as reportedin Heritage Railway issue 325, contracted NorthernHeritage Engineering in the town to buildreplicas of Experiment, thepioneer Stockton &Darlington train’s sole passenger carriage,and three chaldron wagons.

Thereplica train went on displayat the Grade II-listed carriage worksin HopetownDarlington from November 26. Thereplica, which wasoverhauled at LocomotiveMaintenanceSer vices in Loughborough, and the four new vehicles have all been equipped to modern-daymain line running standards,sothe completetrain can run over the routefromShildon via Darlington to Stockton-on-Tees of September 26, 27 and 28 as acrowd-

DALE SMALLIN

Welcome home:The original Locomotion No.1 back fordisplay in Darlington.

HOPE TOWN DARLINGTON

Thereplica of Cornish mining engineer RichardTrevithick’slocomotivewhich on February 21,1804, made theworld’s first-ever steam-hauled railwayjourney over nine milesoftramroadfromPenydarrenironworks,nearMerthyr Tydfil.

HOPE TOWN DARLINGTON

Thereplica of the1815Steam Elephant from BeamishMuseumshowing one avenue of thedevelopment of earlysteam locomotives. HOPE TOWN DARLINGTON

pulling climax to the bicentenar y celebrations.However,ithas been scheduled to run on former S&DR metals beforethen.

On April 19, 1842, the S&DR-backed Bishop Auckland &Weardale Railway opened its first station. Today, 18 miles of the line comprised theheritage Weardale Railway,now owned by the Auckland Project. On March 18 this year,the Locomotion No.1

‘New’Saintidentitytoappear in West Somerset spring steam gala

THE West Somerset Railway’s May 2-5 spring steam gala will seeup to 11 locomotives in action, with previously announced guests and home ﬂeet locomotives being joined by new-buildGWR Saint 4-6-0 No.2999 LadyofLegend, which will stayonthe lineuntil August –and forjust one weekend only,itwill adopt the guise of a long-lost classmate which willbe decided by public vote.

Eventorganiser SebWalsh said:“Between ourfourgala team members,wecan’t decide between the manyoptions for suitable names,sowewillbe putting aFacebook poll together with four options so our followers can vote fortheir preferred name.

“The name and numberplates forthe most popular name option will be ordered and the loco will run as this locofor the galaonly.”

LancashiretoSomerset

Adding to the eventroster will be Lancashire& YorkshireRailway 0-6-0ST No.11456, from the East Lancashire Railway–the first LYRlocomotivetoeverrun on the WSR. It joins previouslyannounced LBSCR A1 ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T No.72 Fenchurch, from the Bluebell Railway,withboth planned to work goods trains at times throughout the event. No.11456 startedlifeasa tender engine beforebeing converted to its currentconfiguration in 1896 and mirrors the storyof the WSRmogulNo. 9351. The gala will also featurevisiting LMS 4-6-0 No.45596 Bahamas, GWR 2-8-0 No.2807, GWR 0-6-2T No.6695 and GWR 4-6-0 No.7812 ErlestokeManor.

That same weekend,the Tanfield Railway,believed to be the world’s oldest railway still operating,

will welcome Furness Railway 0-4-0 No.20, whichisitself the oldest operating standardgauge locomotiveinthe UK and dates from 1863. It will appear on the first twoweekends of the line’s month-long GreatNorth Festival of Railways, celebrating not just Railway 200,but the 300th anniversaryofthe Tanfield too.

Auto -train in Cornwall

TheBodminRailway’s May16-18 gala willsee the tworesident small prairies (Nos.5552 and 5553) and Port of ParBagnall 0-4-0ST Judy in action, with GWR 0-6-0PT No.7714and 0-4-2T No.1450 visiting from the Severn Valley Railway.DirectorDavid Nelson-Brownsaid: “It’sfull steam ahead (excuse the pun) forafull three -day steam gala. It will be the first big gala we will have done sincebeforethe pandemic,with lots of interest andactivityand, we hope,plenty of visitors.” Therestored rake of clayhood wagons will appear,astoo will First Class family saloon No.248, which wasbuilt in 1881 and once carried King Edward VII when he wasPrinceofWales.The railway’s autocoach No.232 will also be paired up with No.1450 to work in push-pull formation; following the departureofGWR 0-6-0PT No.6435 last year,the autocoach has also been listed forsale,with interested parties advised to contactDavid by emailingdavid. nelson@bodminrailway.co.uk ➜ Class 52 D1015 Western Champion and Class 45 ‘Peak’ No.45108 aretovisit the West Somerset Railway forits June 5-7 Summer Diesel Festival,with further guests set to be announced. Amixed traction daywill be staged on July 8.

Standard4MT to join PoppyLine ﬂeet on ﬁve-year loan agreement

replica completedeightmiles of test runs on the GreatCentralRailway (Nottingham), which on April 5/6 held its second-ever reunification gala with the GreatCentralRailwaytothe south.After this issue closedfor press, thereplica wasset to rejoinits train, which wastobetakentoWolsingham fortesting on theWeardaleRailway prior to plannedmainline runs in September

THE Princess RoyalClass Locomotive Trust’s BR Standard4MT 2-6-4T No.80080 is to be loaned to the North Norfolk Railway forﬁve years NNR general managerGraham Hukinssaid: “The class is probably the ideal heritage railway locomotive, and Iamsurethe engine will be well-suited to our day-to-dayservices,diningtrains, and special trainssuch as the Norfolk Lights Express,and it will also be apopular performer at our

special events. Thelocomotiveis scheduled to arrive in late May and will be an extremely useful addition to thefleet.I know when classmateshavevisited in thepast,theyhaveproved popular with crews, visitors and photographers alike.”

On March31, the 4MTarrived back at Butterley from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway,where it has been on loan sinceApril 2021 and recently underwent repairs

A1 PacificNo. 60163

Tornado headsthe Severn ValleyRailway’s acclaimedset of LNER teak carriageson October8,2015. Now, the locomotive is to repeat thefeata decade on.

KE VINWHITEWURST/SVR

Tornado joinsUK’sﬁrsthydrogen trainfor SV R’sRailway 200weekend

By Robin Jones

TW Oexamples of ground-break ing 21st centur ytraction aretobethe special guests forthe Severn Valley Railway ’s Trains Through TheAges Railway 200celebration on July 5/6. Returning foranother visit to the line will be new-build A1 Peppercorn Pacific No.61063 Tornado,which in aworld-first hasbeen fitted with European Train ControlSystemdigital technology and,asrepor tedinMain Line News, page 52, has not only just been passed formain line running, but has also beenbooked forthe

Railway Touring Company’simminent ‘Great BritainXVII’landcruise,ending the locomotive’s three -year absence from commercial operations on the network Tornado,which wascompleted in 2008 and which on April 12, 2017, set anew heritage sectorrecord by reaching aspeed of 101mph on the East Coast Main Line (Heritage Railway issue 228), will during the special weekend haul the SVR’s unique set of LNER teak carriages, which date back to 1922.

Thesecond visitor will be HydroFLEX,the UK’s first hydrogen-

HydroFLEX, theUK’sfirst hydrogen-ready passengertrain,has undergone3000 milesofmainlinetesting,reachingspeedsof90mph andtravellingupthe Lickey Incline, thesteepestonthe UK network. PORTERBROOK

ready passenger train. Developed and extensively tested by Porterbrook at the Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre,HydroFLEX, aconverted Class 319 EMU,contains up to 277kgofhydrogen fuel,safely contained in 36 high-pressuretanks Astate -of-the -ar tsystemfeeds this into fuel cells,whereachemical process conver ts the hydrogen and ox ygen from the air to generate clean electricity, with waterbeing the only emission.

TheSVR’s managing director, Jonathan ‘Gus’Dunster,said: “‘ These twospecial guests meanwecan launchour Railway 200 eventwith areal splash. We aredelightedto welcome back Tornado,which last visited us in 2019, and we thank TheA1Steam LocomotiveTrust for allowing it to run at our event. It ’s going to look splendid with our set of teak carriages

“‘Equally exciting and definitely bang up -to- date is HydroFLEX, representing the latest in railway technology.Weare honoured that Porterbrook is bringing it to our eventsoasmanypeople as possible cansee forthemselves whatthe futureofrailholds.”

Porterbrook chief operating officer BenAck royd added: “With exciting technology like this being developed, we areconfidentthatthe railways’ most exciting days areaheadofus.

“Wehope thatexperiencing this innovativetrain up close will help to

inspirethe nextgeneration to take the batonand goevenfur ther.”

Other attractions during the weekend will be adisplayofnarrowgauge locomotives dating from the 1800s at TheEngine House,Highley Home -based GWR 4-6-0 No. 7802 Bradley Manor and GWR 0-4-2T No.1450 will also be hauling carriagesfromthe 1910s to the 1940s,and aheritagediesel paired with aset of Mk.1carriages from the 1950s

In addition to HydroFLEX, other examples of modernrailway traction will also be on display.

Theweekend will offer the final chancetosee Inspiration,Railway 200’sexhibition train, beforeitleaves the SVR to continue its nationwide tour.

As repor tedinthe lastissue of Heritage Railway,this unique train is mak ing te first stop on its UK tour at the SVR on June 26 to promote the past, presentand futureof the railway and inspirethe next generation of railway talentand workers.Aswell as members of the general public,the SVR will welcome hundreds of children for its programme of schools events centredon Inspiration

➜ Tickets to visit Inspiration between June 27 and July 6are free but must be pre-booked online at svr.co.uk. These tickets arefor the exhibition train only;traveltickets must be booked separately.

Severn Valley in talkswithinsurersoverlandslip

By Robin Jones

THE Severn Valley Railway is currently in discussions with insurersabout repairs forthe major landslip at Mor Brook bridge on Januar y29and has raised hopes thatrepairs could be completed by the summer

As repor tedin Heritage Railway issue 329,the slippage forced the closureofthe nor thernmost section of the line,isolating its Bridgnor th terminus

SVR managing directorJonathan ‘Gus’Dunster said: “We’ve hadseveral sitemeetings with the loss adjusters. They areconsidering the situation and will decide whether we have a valid claim. Even if they decide we do have aclaim, the railway will have to payalarge excess

“Weare incredibly grateful to suppor ters who have donated £125,000 sincewebroke thenewsof the landslip.This will play an essential role in puttingthings right.”

In the meantime,the SVRhas soughta thirdrepair quotefrom contractor in addition to the twoit has already received

Gus said: “Assoon as we can give a definitetimescale forthe repair work, we will. No oneiskeener than we aretoget thefull line back up and running.However,evenifwewere able to getspades in the ground in the nextfew weeks,and that’sbyno means certain, it ’s going to take until well into the summer before things can be completed.”

SVR staff have been working to secureaccess forlarge plantand

Above: An excavatorremovingdebris from theMor Brookbridgelandslip. CHRISBOND/SVR

Left:MPStuartAndersononhis February 27 visittothe Severn Valley Railway. SVR

equipmentatthe location and dealing with statutor ybodies such as the local council regarding the watercourse beneath the bridge They also need to arrange safeaccess underneath the high-voltage power cables there. Ongoing monitoring has not detected anyfur ther movement of the embankment, and the recent dr yweather is helping to keep things in check.

South ShropshireMPStuar t Anderson visited the railway and offered to help in dealings with statutor ybodies to minimise any delays in star ting the works.

To donate to the fund forrepairs, visit https:// svr.co.uk/resilience/

Meanwhile,the Welshpool & Llanfair LightRailwaysuffereda minor landslip adjacenttothe line on the 1-in-29 Golfa Bank,two milesoutside

Left:The new protective wall beingbuilt on theWelshpool &LlanfairLight Railway’sGolfa Bank following earthslippage next to theline on November 23 WLLR

Welshpool,following heavy rain on November 23.

While the track wasnot directly affected, work needed to be carried out to ensure therewould be no futureissues.During the winter a£16,000 projecttobuild anew protectivewallwas drawnupand carried out by the railway ’s track gang,with additional help from other volunteers and staff.

AWLLR statementsaid: “The railway is very gratefultothe manymembers who rose to the challenge of ensuring this projectwas successfully carried out.”

Elsewhere, at Llanfair Caereinion, the tearoom wasrefurbished over the winterand will be ser ving breakfast, lunches,snacks and drinksonall days thatthe railway is open and also on Wednesdays to Fridays.

Galatea makesitdoubleJubileesfor Severn Valley spring gala

LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No.45699 Galatea has joined the line -up forthe Severn Valley Railway ’s April18-21 Spring Steam Gala alongside fellow guests sister No.45596 Bahamas and new-build GWR 4-6-0 No.6880 Betton Grange

It will be ahappyhomecoming for Galatea,which wasrescued from Barry scrapyard in April 1980 and movedtothe SVR originallyto provide aspareboiler forpreser ved sister No.45690 Leander.After being sold, Galatea wasstoredatTyseley Locomotiveworks until 2002,when it wasboughtbyWest Coast Railways and givenacompleterebuild at Carnforth. Thegala will be the first time in has beenback to the SVR sinceleaving in 1994. BettonGrange had beenbooked to make its debut at the corresponding eventlast year,but testing wasnot completed in time

GWR 4-6-0 No.7802 Bradley Manor is expectedtore- enterser viceat the gala, alongside sister No.7812 ErlestokeManor.“ This is likely to be the only time both locos areseen together at the SVR because No.7812 goesoff on hire to the West Somerset Railway foranextended period

afterour event,”saidSVR managing directorJonathan ‘Gus’Dunster “Weexpecttohavesix locos in steam, operating abusy timetable between Kidderminster and Hampton Loade, supplementedby the DMUrunning shuttle ser vices between Kidderminster and Highley. Trains will run from 7.55amuntil the evening,with latertrains on the Fridayand Saturday.”

Although Bridgnor th station remains isolatedfromthe rest of the line because of the landslip at MorBrook,itwill still featureinthe gala. GWR pannier No. 7714 will offer footplate ridesfor an extracharge, and the Railwayman’s Arms and refreshmentrooms will also be open. Also tak ing par tinthe gala will be home -based BR Standard4MT 4-6-0 No.75069 and GWR 0-4-2T No. 1450.

On the concourse at Kidderminster Town station, visitors will be able to see number and date platesfrom Locomotion No.1 which headed the world’sfirststeam passenger train on the Stockton &Darlington Railway on September 27, 1825, along with anameplate from BR 2-10-0 No.92220 Evening Star,the last steam locomotivebuilt forBRin

LMSJubilee 4- 6- 0No. 45596 Galatea (carryingnumbers forboth45627 Sierra Leone and45562 Alberta)atAis Gill on July 13,2023, with a‘Dalesman’service over theSettle&Carlisleroute DAVE

1960, and the smokeboxplate from LNER A4 Pacific No.4498 Mallard, which in 1938 set worldsteam speed record whichstands today. However, while Locomotion wasbuilt in 1825, it would not have carried anumber or name until at least the 1830s

Theplateswerebelieved lost until their current owner David Gray unear thed them out of storage.His grandfather PeterGraywas gifted

them when he wasthe manager at Darlington LocomotiveWorks in the 1960s

In October,the Locomotion plates will go on sale via Railwayana Auctions UK ,after the companyholds atour of UK railway venues during Railway 200 celebration year,star ting with the SVR. Railwayana Auctions will also offer awalk-in valuation ser viceatthe gala.

WILSON

Flying Scotsman anda ll-new exhibitionshighlight Locomotion’s celebrations forS&DR200 year

By Robin Jones

ASUMMER-LONG festival with LNER

A3 Pacific No.60103 Flying Scotsman back in residence, guest locomotive line -ups,avisit from the Railway 200 Exhibition Train Inspiration,new exhibitionsand special events are partofthe Locomotion museum’s 2025 programme

As reportedlast issue,inApril the museum will welcome NetworkRail’s 8ft10in bronzestatue of Robert Stephensonfromoutside Euston station fora10-year loan in the region wherethe legendar yrailwaypioneer made his name

TheRailway Firsts exhibition opened in Februar y, featuring pivotal moments thatshaped therailways and UK histor ythrough signallingthemed pop-up displays.Famous and unexpectedfirsts,frompioneering featsofengineering to the railway ’s impactonour holidayhabits,and even the world’sfirst fixed train toilet, arewaiting to be discovered.

Summer fun

Locomotion’s summer festival returns forasecond year from July 19 to August 31, with steam rides,a pop -up beach, and Flying Scotsman between July 26 and August 25, offering rides and static display days.FromJune until December, theYoungRailway Photographerof the Year exhibition will be on show, shining the spotlightonthe ar tistic flair and passion forrail of theUK’s brightest young photographic talent.

Thebicentenar yofthe world’s first steam-hauledpassenger train is being marked in County Durham and Tees Valley by theS&DR200 festival programme,inwhich Locomotionis amajor delivery partner,aswell as a partner in Railway 200.

Themuseum will run an expanded schools and family programme throughout 2025, with hands-on activities,STEM workshops and stor ytelling sessions.Overthe Easter break,activitieswill focus on movement and journeys, while learning activitiesoverthe early May Bank Holidayweekendwill be themed around the trailblazers of the Stockton &Darlington Railway Inspiration will be stationed at Locomotion from September 20 until October 1, including the 200th S&DR anniversar yweekendofSeptember 26-28. Curatedinpartnershipwith the National Railway Museum, it will,

as reportedlast issue,visit morethan 60 destinations,tellingthe stor yof thepast, presentand futureofthe railwaysthroughinteractiveexhibition carriages,with amission to promote careers in rail

Thereplica of Locomotion No.1, which has been newlyoverhauled to modernmain line running standards, will bypass Locomotionduring its run on September 26.

Home to the largestcollectionof historic locomotives under cover in Europe,itwill be bolsteredwith special line -ups of loaned rail vehicles during the late Maybank holiday, throughout the summer festival,and again in September

In October,West Side Stor y, amajor newtouring exhibition thatexplores thestory of the S&DR, will arrive at Locomotion.

TheBrick Alley Lego user group will returnfor another weekend of

Above: Theworld’s firstfixed train toilet on displayinLocomotion. SCIENCEMUSEUMGROUP

Left:The RailwayFirstsexhibitionat Locomotion. SCIENCEMUSEUMGROUP

creativityinNovember,featuring railway scenes createdfromLegoand interactivebuilding activities.

TheFriends of the National Railway Museum North East is bringing anew season of free talks to Locomotion on selecteddates.

Unique year

Head of Locomotion, SarahPrice, said: “Asthe nation marks the bicentenar yofthe modernrailway, Locomotion will rightatthe hear tof the celebrations

“This willbeayearlike no other. We areexcited to welcome visitors from all over the worldtobeapartof histor yinthe making,aswecelebrate the past, presentand futureofthe railwaysinthe placewhereitall began.”

Admission to Locomotion is free.For moreabout activities and experiences, visit www.locomotion.org.uk

TheGreatestGathering gets even greater!

By Robin Jones

BRITAIN’S biggest-everevent grouping of historic rail vehicles –TheGreatestGathering,tobestaged

at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane sitein DerbyonAugust 1-3 –has added moretop-namelocomotives to the guest list. Joining thesell-out premier Railway 200 programme

event, forwhich all 24,000 tickets have been sold, areSevernValley Railway flagship GWR4-6-0 No. 4930 Hagley Hall and shedmate LMS Stanier mogul No.13268. West Coast Railways is sending LMSJubilee 4-6-0 No.45699 Galatea alongside previously announced LMS 4-6-0 No.46115 Scots Guardsman and with an LMS ‘Black Five,’ the identityof which is to be confirmed LMS Princess Royal4-6-2 No.46203 Princess Margaret Rose, from the

Left:ElectriclocomotiveNo. 12 Sarah Siddons at Barbican stationwhile taking part on theMetropolitan Railway150th anniversary celebrations on January14, 2013. ROGERC ARVELL /ALSTON

MidlandRailway –Butterley will also attend,along with GWR 4-6-0 No.6023 King Edward II from Didcot Railway Centre.

Already booked were Furness Railway A5 No.20, LNWR Webb Coal Tank No.1054, MerchantNavies Nos.35018 British India Line and 35028 Clan Line,LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No.45596 Bahamas and LNER A4 No.60007 Sir Nigel Gresley

Metropolitan Railway No.12 Sarah Siddons,Britain’s oldest operational main lineelectric locomotive, will be appearingtoo.

As reportedin Heritage Railway issue 322, No.12was equipped with new awheelset and repaintedby

Gwilibuyssmall prairiefromBillParker

By Owen Hayward

ALONG-HELDambition for volunteers at the Gwili Railway became areality on March31, when the line confirmed thatithas bought GWR small prairie No.5521 (currently running in London Transport livery as No.L150) from Bill Parker,giving the Carmar thenshirevenue itsown residentWesternRegion locomotive.

Theannouncement followedthe Gwili’s successful 6for 60 gala (see feature, pages 82/83), whichsaw three GWR locomotives work ing between Abergwili Junc tion and Llw yfan Cerrigfor thefirst time since BR closed the line.

Gwili chairman Matt Bowensaid: “I thas been along-held ambition to ownour ownGWR engine and No.L150 is suretobeabig attrac tion forthe railway

Arlington Fleet Services at Eastleigh work beforereturning to the capital last August. London Underground is also loaning Class 438 4TCNo. 428 and LMS saloon No.45029 forthe Alstom event.

Also appearing will be Class 20 No.20007, the UK’s oldest operational main line diesel,which entered ser vicein1957, together with sister No.20205.

Both arevisiting courtesy of Michael Owen and subjectto operational availability.

TheClass 125 Group is sending Class 43 powercar No.43159, the world’sfastest diesel,which reached 148mph in 1987 (see also News, page 20), which will be accompanied by four High Speed Train Mk.3 coaches, all of which were built at Litchurch Lane

TheRail Operations Group will be

“I twill see good use on regular five- car sets onthe four-mile line.We aredelighted thatwehavebeen able to reach agreementwith Mr Parker forthe purchase and must thank our suppor ters who helped to make the purchase possible at shor tnotice.”

Bill said: “The Gwili Railway is adelightful line in rural West Wales,and Ican’t think of abetter home forthe locomotive. Given its connec tions with London Underground,Ihad been discussing about it remaining in the London area formorethan ayear. No.L150 wasinWales foronly afew days beforethe Gwili made an offer for it, which Iwas happytoaccept.I am sureitwill flourish there.”

No.L150 is set to make its railwayowned debut onMay 5, doubleheading with visiting GWR 0-6-0PT No.6430 on loan fromthe South

providing aClass 37, expectedtobe No.37501 Teesside Steelmaster,again subjecttooperational availability.

Southernwill berepresentedby Class 465 Networker EMUNo. 465908

Chris Green,anexample of aclass which enteredser vicein1992, and which wasrecently repaintedinits original NetworkSouthEast liver yat Wabtec in Doncaster

Also bookedtoattendisthe Porterbrook HydroFLEX train, as pictured on Headline News, page 8.

TheGreatest Gathering will also be attended by theRailway 200 unique exhibition train Inspiration,curated inpartnership with the National Railway Museum, with the four Mk.3 carriages provided by NetworkRail, as reportedlast issue.

More details of guest locomotives and stock can be foundatwww alstom.com/greatest-gathering

DevonR ailway.The occasion will also be the last dayintraffic forthe pannier tank beforeits withdrawal foroverhaul

Built in 1927, No.5521gained international fame when it appeared at Wolsztyn open days in Polan between 2007 and 2009, and has even travelled as far east as Budapest, in Hungar y, whereit piloted the VeniceSimplon- OrientExpress out of Nyugati station in September 2007. In 2008 it operated scheduled passenger trains out of Wroclaw, Poland.I n2013 it wasgiven itscurrent guise as No.L150for the 150th anniversar ycelebrations of the Metropolitan Line,during which it wasalso givenacut-downcab When asked if it would retain its LT colours in Wales,Mattsaid: “Wewill see out this year first and then make adecision during the winter.”

MerchantNavy societyoﬀers summer steam coach tour

THE General Steam Navigation LocomotiveRestoration Society will host asummer weekend coach tour taking in heritage lines in the South West.

Theventureisa bid to raise fundsfor the long-term restoration of MerchantNavy Pacific No.35011 GeneralSteam Navigation. With overnightstays at Torquay’sDerwent Hotel, the August 15-18 trip will visit the South Devon, Bodmin, and Dartmouth Steamrailways, with pick-ups scheduled from Swindon bus station, Marlborough, Devizes,Calne and Chippenham.

Theexcursion is oﬀered as half boardaccommodation with evening entertainmentat the hotel,and is priced at £439 per person. Thesocietywill also receivea£30 donationfrom Pewsey Vale Coaches,which is supporting the trip,when societymembers quotetheir membership during booking Places can be reservedby calling 01225 685707.

Following last year’s decision by the NationalHeritage LotteryFund to decline further grantaid forthe restoration of No.35011, the Swindon& CrickladeRailway,its base forsix years,asked the societytofind it anew home as aMerchant Navy does not alignwith its future vision and business plan.

No.4930 Hagley Hall,seenleaving BewdleyTunnel, will be oneoftwo Severn ValleyRailway locomotivestoattendThe Greatest Gathering. SVR

DerbyLitchurch Lane,which was opened by the Midland Railway in 1876, is oneofthe world’slargest rolling stock factories

Alston saidthe eventorganisers were awarethatscammers were tr ying to sell fake tickets and warned the public to beware

GWR2-6 -2TNo. L150 at Bronwydd Arms during theGwili Railway’s6 for60Gala. Thesmall prairiehas been bought from Bill Parker andwill nowremaininCarmarthenshirepermanently. FOX&EDWARDS EVENTS/GWILI RAILWAY

GWR4 -6 -0

Newf ra meskick- star trace forJ21 2026 return ambitions

By Owen Hayward

THE overhaul of the sole -sur viving LNER J21, No.65033, which once ranthrough Kirk by Stephen on the Stockton &Darlington Railway,may see it returntoser vicebeforethe end of 2026 following the placement of the order forits new main frames With the tender completely rebuilt and resplendentinafirst gloss coat of green, akey milestone was reached in the Heritage Lotter y Fund-backed projec tatthe end of Marchwith the ordering of new frames by LocomotiveMaintenance Services LtdinLoughborough.

BuiltinMarch 1889 by the Nor th EasternR ailway, No.65033 once ranthrough Kirk by Stephen East on whatisnow the Stainmore Railway,its preser vation home and aroutethatonceformed par tofthe S&DR. It has not run since1983 at Beamish, with several false star ts at restoring it having taken placeinthe intervening years

LocomotiveConser vation & Learning Trust chairman Toby Watk ins said:“At long last, our suppor ters and fellowenthusiasts can enjoywatching the J21 come together fora2026 steaming.The need fornew frames has long since been explained,but therehas been no pointcutting large andexpensive new metal until we were in a position to use it

J21No. 52033outside theLocomotionmuseuminShildon on January8,2016. ROBHODGKINS/CREATIVE COMMONS

“Fur thermore,the decision to wait until the frameswereneeded was also an engineering choice.

“Bywaiting until the axleboxes were finished, we nowhaveprecise measurements to informthe cutting of the hornguides so thatthey fit per fectly without anynugatory machining and so on.”

Thedecisiontobuild up the largely new tender first allowedthe team at LMS to free up workshop spaceand create avehiclethatcould be easily shuntedaround,inturnmak ing the creation of alocomotive rolling chassis this year thatmucheasier

Theoverhaul has taken much longer than planned and is currently

at least £100,000 over budget.

Toby said: “The LCLT and LMS team presenteda very cautious cost estimate to the Heritage Fund, anticipating aver yextensive overhaul.

“However, even this estimate was not enough.

“R ather than keep promising return-to-steamdates thatwe repeatedly fail to meet, we have instead kept our powder dr yuntil now, when we arefirmly on the path to steaming the locoin2026 for the first time in nearly 40 years,as people like to back awinner “Todothatthough, we need to raise afur ther £70,000.”

TheLCLTcontinues to raise funds to completethe projec t. Details on membership to the876 Club and 1889 Club can be found by visiting www.lclt.org.uk

Meanwhile,the Stainmore Railway Company hasrecently commenced with another HLFfunded projec t– the rebuild of the Junc tion signalbox, which will returnthe station throat to its 1950s appearance.

Suppor tedbya £213,000grant to markthe bicentenar yofthe S&DR, the SRC has already raised the £4500 necessar ytoprovide drawings and sur veys to informthe subsequent rebuild thatcould beginassoon as this year

SRC direc torM ikeThompson said: “Restoring the 1861 S&DR ’box with minimalsignals forthe 2025 bicentenar yhas been phase one, rebuilding the Junc tion ’box will be phase two, and the returnofa full gantr ywould be phase three.

“However, we don’t anticipate getting anyexternal funding towardsthe Junc tion ’box and so we arekeen to start fundraisingsoonest in order to have the necessar y £45,000 ready to begin thework.

“I ndeed,the £4500 we need to producethe drawings has already been found,and we look forward to ahealthyresponse to our subsequentappeal,called Jumpstar t the Junc tion.”

Former Merseyside tramstrioboost forCrich

THREE historicMerseyside trams have officially joined the collection at Crich TramwayVillage,home of TheNational TramwayMuseum in Derbyshire.

Over several days in March, Liverpool Corporation Tramways No.762,Birkenhead Corporation Tramways No.20and Wallasey Corporation Tramways No.78were carefully transpor tedmorethan

90 miles from their base at Wirral Transpor tMuseum to their new home.They have been transferred from the Merseyside Tramway Preser vation Society(MTPS), atranspor trestoration group established in1960 by Liverpool Universitystudents whowanted to save one of the city ’s famous ‘Green Goddess’trams,which was then operating in Glasgow.This

tram, Liverpool 869, laterjoined the collection at Crich.

Duetorecentchanges in managementatthe Wirral museum, the MTPS decided to rehome these three trams,donating them to Crich.

NationalTramway Museum

CEO Graham Bennett said: “Our conser vation workshop team will be assessing the trams in due course to determine the work needed to

Liverpool762 on theCrich depotfan NTM Birkenhead 20 delivered. NTM

enable them to operateonour tracks in the future.”

Thenew Tram Stop Cafe in the villagewas set to be officially opened by ClaireWard, the Mayorofthe East Midlands,onApril 5. Thelargest developmentatthe attractionfor 20 years represents amajor advance in visitor facilities,and it has been funded entirely by donorsand the charity’sown resources.

Nowoutshoppedinthe fullLMR livery forthe firsttimeinpreservation, AD 878 Basra awaits departurefromLakesidestation on March30duringthe LHR’sdiesel gala. CHRISGEE

Visiting theLakeside& Haverthwaite forabrief spelltoappearonsome photographic charters,LYR Aclass No.52322 approaches NewbyBridgewitha single brakevan during agauging runonMarch 26. WILL SMITH/LHR

Lakeside revivesLongmoorwithshunter repaint

DESPITE the devout following that exists forHampshire’srenowned Longmoor Militar yRailway,ver yfew of the13locomotives thatsur vive from its oncehefty fleet have retained the striking liver ythatwas applied to stock there, with those thathaveall being steam traction.

That situation changed when, on March28, the Lakeside & HaverthwaiteRailway completed a repaintofClass 11 No.7120 into its former LMR identityofNo. 878 Basra. Built by the LMS at Derbyin1945, No.7120 wasdelivered new to the WarDepartment, spending the majorityofits working lifeatmilitar y

depotsincluding the LMR, Bicester, Shoebur yness and Welford.

Untilrecently ithad carried plain black liver y; it waspicturedin2005 with themainbodywork in blue and LMR lettering on theengine baydoors,although the liver ywas inauthentic as it omittedthe red chassisamidother inaccuracies.With theshunterdue forafreshen-up,the opportunitywas taken to reviveits former identity,with evidenceofits past LMS and WD schemes uncovered asthe bodywork wasrubbed down in preparation. While theLMR liver y has been carried by numerous steam locomotives, it is believedthatthis

is the first time adiesel has worn the completeliver yinthe heritage era.

Theunveilingtook placeaspart of aBranchLine Society‘all tracks’ visit to therailway, which preceded the March29/30 diesel gala starring thefreshly-outshopped Class 11 alongside thetwo residentBRClass 03 shunters,Class 20 No.20214, and BR Class 110 DMU,all of which seldom make appearances on passenger ser vices on theLHR. Arailway spokesman advised that theweekend had been “well-supported”and passenger numbers “werever ygood” forwhatwas the line’s first enthusiastfocused eventfor some years.

Grosmont goes west forBRbluecharter

NOR THERN Diesel PhotoChar ters held its latest eventonthe Nor th YorkshireM oors Railway on Sunday, March23, when the line’s BR blue diesel fleet waslined up outside Deviation Shed at GrosmontMPD forthe occasion.

Char terorganiser Chris Gee, who is also chairman of NYMR plc,said that the aim wastorecreate an essence

of aS outh Wales/Bristol area depot in 1979-82.

All of the locomotives tak ing par t had been allocatedtoBristol and South Wales depots at somepoint during those four years

Class 47 No. 47077 Nor th Star wasaCardiff Canton engine,Class 08 No.08238and Class3131128 were allocatedtoBristol Bath Road,

and Class 37 No.37264 wasbriefly allocatedtoLandore.

“The eventwas attended by 40 people and raised £1800 forthe NYMR,”said Chris “I twill hopefully see aresumption in in-housephoto char ters,along with aprogramme offur ther diesel events aimed at enthusiasts and raising funds.”

Meanwhile,LYR Aclass 0-6-0 No.52322 arrivedatHaverthwaiteon March24, undergoinga test run along the3.5 miles line to Lakeside twodays later, during whichitretrieved some ballast hoppers.

Thelocomotivewas booked to star in some photographic charterson April 2/3, beforebeingrostered to work public ser vicetrains at the start of the LHR’s mainoperating season on April 5/6.

No.52322 has visited the LHR once before,appearing therein 1982 during whichitwas used in afilmingcontractfor the 1982 mini-series Wagner.

Smalltrio band together

THE Apedale Valley LightRailway, the West LancashireLightRailway and Amer tonRailwayhavesigned an agreementtoforge closer ties All are2ft gauge,entirely volunteer managed and operated, rely heavily on steam traction, and areunderpinned by charitable organisations.Recognising the similarities in the organisations,a memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the trio to foster closer work ing and the sharing of good practiceand knowledge.

West Lancashirechairman Mike Spall said: “Inanera of increasing pressuresonheritagerailways, we arebetter work ing in cooperation rather than in competition. Thethree organisations have alwaysworked together –and manypeople are already members of at least twoof the railways. Rather than three small organisations,wecan nowspeak and influencewith one voice.

“All three will,ofcourse,remain separateand distinct, with their ownmemberships andassociated charities,but this agreementwill open up fur ther opportunities for each organisation.”

Weymout hdays: theSwa nage ga la way

By Owen Hayward

AN exceedingly busy andgalafilled Marchwas rounded off in glorious sunshine on the Dorset coast as the SwanageRailway ’s own steam weekend onceagaindrew in thecrowdsasitpaid tribute to Weymouth sheds –with alittle bitof GreatWestern in the mix.

Thethree -day gala spanning March 28-30 sawsix locomotives in action along the six miles between Swanage and Norden, with twoofthatnumber comprising visiting engines.Fresh from its appearanceatthe Bluebell Railway ’s branch line weekend earlier in the month (see feature,

Right: Asight once common on thebranch, 2MTNo. 41313 passes Swanage signalboxasit runs positions itself forits next working.

ANDREWPM WRIGHT

Below: Acrowd of people marvel at PitchfordHall as it worksthe engineeringtrain outofNorden on March30.

ANDREWPM WRIGHT

pages 70-72), BR Standard2MT

No.41313 rounded off its mainland holidaywith an appearance on the Purbeck Isles,beforereturning to its home across the Solentatthe Isle of WightSteam Railway.The class wasubiquitous across the Southern Region in BR days;while the 0-4-4T M7 wasperhaps best associatedwith this coastal branch, examples of the 2-6-2T were also found operating here, including Nos.41284 and 41301, which worked the WarehamSwanage por tion of the February 27, 1966 ‘Dorset Belle’railtour

Making arareouting from its Epping Ongar Railway home in Essex,GWR 4-6-0 No.4953 PitchfordHall wasthe

second visitor lineduptoattend, with the eventtaking on –intentionally or otherwise –a distinctWeymouthshed flavour

Former Western shed Opened in 1885, it remained a WesternRegiondepot until its transfer to theSouthernin1958 –just nine years prior to its closuretosteam on July 9, 1967. As such,across-section of differentclasses of varying sizes from across theGWR, SR andevenLMS, could be foundstabled there, with the likes of SR’s Bulleid Pacifics andWR’s Manors andHalls among them.

While the visit of PitchfordHall broughtwith it the accolade of being

thefirst Halltoreach Swanage, the WR 4-6-0s wouldhaveregularly worked trainsdowntoWeymouth, with some even having made it to Bournemouth travellingvia Reading and Basingstoke

With No.4953having been allocated to BristolBathRoad between 1929 and 1950, it maytoo have oncebeen found working through Evershot on workings bound forelsewherealong theDorset coastline.

Thevisitors supplementedan already impressivehome fleet line -up, which comprised twolightPacifics in the form of West Countr yNo. 34070 Manston (which retains aweathered BR-era appearance) and Battle of Britian No.34072 257 Squadron,which had arrivedback from theMid-Hants Railway on March25, having been on hirethere sincelast spring Uclass No.31806 and LSWR T3 No.563 rounded off theroster,with thelattermanaging the six-coach rakes with ease.

When first returned to operational condition in 2023, No.563 wasnot so free -steaming and struggled to manage three coaches.

Sincethen, work to fine -tune the veteran4-4-0 has vastly improved its pulling capabilities,putting it in a strongposition ahead of its upcoming visit to the MHR forthatline’s April 25-27 steam gala.

Thesix locomotives alternated between the twocarriagesets,one of which included the luxurious ‘Devon Belle’obser vation saloon.

Furthermore, something whichhas become astapleofSwanage steam galas is the engineering train, which this time had growntoinclude three Turbot spoil wagonsand fiveDogfish ballast hoppers,completewith brake vanateach endofthe consist. Visitors sampled life as aguardwith trips aboardthe Queen Mary bogie brake vanwhich formed partofthis set.

Uclass No.31806 leadsWestCountry No.34072 257 Squadron away from Swanageand towardsTin Bath crossing. JAMESCUMMINS

Unlike previous galas,ser vices were unable to traverse the 3.5 miles beyond Norden towardsthe limit of operations at Frome Bridge,just shortofthe main line connection at Wareham, owing to abridge awaiting repairs along this section, the structurehaving been damaged by a bridge strike in August 2024.

Glorious weekend

Eventorganiser Alexander Atkins, avolunteer driver,directorofthe Swanage Railway Trust, acompany director, and the company’snew commercial director, said: “This year ’s spring gala has been aparticularly special one forthe Swanage Railway, seeing the returnofa GWR Hall to Dorset forthe first time sincethe 1960s and the returnofanIvattClass 2Tank,which wasaclass synonymous with the branch and its histor y.

“Wewereblessed with sunshine on all three days and the weather certainly reflectedthe atmosphereof the event.

“Mythanks go to ever yone fortheir efforts in putting on another excellent event. We nowlook forwardtoour othereventsfor the year,par ticularly

the upcoming diesel gala in May, the RoadstoRailsteam rally in June,and our autumn steam gala in September.”

Swanage Railway Company chairman GavinJohns added: “The Spring Steam Gala, our first major eventof2025 –the year when we celebratethroughout Britain the

200th anniversar yofpassenger trains

–was very successful

“Manyvisitors to the Isle of Purbeck enjoyedthe glorious,sunnyweather to see,rideand experiencethe Swanage Railway in allits glory

“Weare grateful to ever yone for their hardworkinproducing and managing the event, which sawour

Left:No. 4953, carrying a trainreporting number and headboardfor the‘Cornish RivieraExpress’ jubileeof1954, approaches Tin Bath crossing with aSwanagebound working on March29.

JAMESCUMMINS

Above: The visiting 2MT leadsNo. 34070 Manston towards Woodyhydewith the‘DevonBelle’ observation saloon tucked justbehindthe Bulleid Pacific.

OWEN HAYWARD

Left:Six-coach trains prove no problemfor LSWR T3 4-4- 0 No.563 as it approaches Corfe Viaductwitha Norden-bound service. KAORU AK AGAWA

home fleet of steam locomotives representing the Southernand the much-appreciatedvisiting engines representing the GreatWestern and British Railways– all creating aunique atmospherethatmany people enjoyed.”

To book forfutureevents, visit www.swanagerailway.co.uk

IN BR IEF

AWestern to Buckfastleigh! ACLASS 52 Western diesel hydraulic will be seen on the South Devon Railway forthe first time in 35 years on May10.

Vintage Trains will run ‘The South DevonExplorer ’fromBirmingham New Street,Widney Manor,War wick Parkway, Banbur yand Oxford via the Chilterns and the GreatWestern Main Line into Bristol Temple Meads behind D1015 Western Champion From there, D1015 will run unassisted by another locomotivefor arun to Plymouth.

Afternearly three hours in the maritime city, the train will head back to Bristol,stopping at Totnesfor areturn trip over the South Devon Railway to Buckfastleigh. Thelast time aClass 52 wasseen on this heritage line wasD1023 Western Fusilier in 1990.

Tickets areavailable in Pullman Dining,FirstClass and Tourist Class, with adiscountfor junior travellers. Formoredetails and to book,visit https://vintagetrains.co.uk/the -southdevon-explorer/ or telephone 0121 708 4960.

Turningbackthe clock

TO cope with an anticipatedboost in passenger numbers thissummerand aneed forfasterturnaround times, the Darjeeling HamalayanRailway ’s Kurseong turntable,last used in 1943, has been revived by the Katihar division of Indian Railways. Turntables in Darjeeling,Rongtong and other stations areset to follow.

Swanagebridgerepaired followingcollision

THE 1884-built brick and iron bridge carr ying the Swanage Railway over Grange Road between Stoborough Heath and Creech Botton, damaged when it wasstruck by avehicle last August,under went £90,000 of repairs by specialist contractorsfor fivedays from April 7. Therepairs will allow maintenancetrains and passenger ser vices to run over it again.

Like us facebo ok .com/ heritagerailway

£184klottery

DIDCOT Railway Centre’s plan to restoreits Grade II-listed locomotive shed hasbeen givenaboost thanks to back ing from the National Lotter y Heritage Fund,which has awarded the GreatWesternS ociety £184,000 of developmentfunding to progress the plan forafull grantapplication to be made laterinthe year

Hornet runs againa fter nearly ha lf acentury!

By Sally Clifford

THE Ribble Steam Railwaymarked the startofits March29/30 springsteam gala with Peckett0-6-0ST No.1935 of 1937 Hornet making its heritage era debut after45years.

Held at theChainCaul Road sitein Preston, the event saw Hornet jointhe active home fleetfor the first time, entertaining visitors following an eight-year restoration projectwhich involved afull boiler refurbishment.

Built forBlack Park Collier yCoLtd, just southofChirk in Denbighshire, Hornet,typical of the small saddle tanks built forindustrial ser vice,is also theonlysur vivor of Peckett’s Greenhithe class,which featured a loweredfootplate and cab forworking under restrictedloadinggauges

Following the closureofBlack Park Collier y, Hornet went to Weston Rhyn locomotive shed,working on the NCB line to IftonCollier yinShropshire. In November 1968, thelocomotive wasmoved to Bersham Collier y, near Wrexham, where it remained until the end of its working lifeinMarch 1980,

to be replaced by dieseltraction. It wasrescued by the RSRthree years later, before beingcosmetically restored and placed in the RSR’s museum.

Hornet’s owner,DaveWatkins,a directorand chairman at the RSR, said enthusiasts from Bersham Collier y had been tracking its progress and attended the gala.

Unique amongpeers “Ithas been alongperiod of time,and Hornet is theonlyone in my collection which Iactually sawworking in industr y,”said adelightedDave. “It’s

Home to one of the most ex tensive and significantcollec tions of heritage steam engines and rolling stock in the UK ,the restoration of the 1932 GWR engine shedwill see thestruc turefully restored,with new interpretation installedin the museum and aprogrammeof ac tivities and events planned

Chief executiveCliveHetherington said: “The significanceofthis restorationproject ex tends beyond the walls of the museum.

“I trepresents acommitmentto preser ving avital pieceofnational, industrial and transpor theritage –atestamenttothe ingenuit yand craf tsmanship of abygone era.”

PeckettHornet returns to the action forthe firsttime in the heritage era, giving brakevan ridesatits Ribble SteamRailway home on March 30.

GARY SE VERN/RSR

also atributetothe lads who have worked on it.”

Hornet pulledthe railway ’s inaugural brake vanrides, which areintended to expandthe offering forvisitors, using SouthernRailway ‘Queen Mary ’ bogie brake vanNo. 56299, whichwas built in 1936 and came from Peak Rail beforebeingrestored by the Preston Docks wagon group Joining Hornet in ser viceduring thegala were Furness Railway 0-4-0 No.20, Borrows0-4-0W TNo. 48 of 1906 The King,Grant Richie 0-4-0T No.272 of 1894 and Barclay0-4-0ST No.1969 of 1929 JN Derbyshire.

Newly-overhauled Robert Stephenson &Co0 -6 -0TNo. 2730 of 1891 Twizell powers thefirst freightofthe day away from East Tanfield andthrough thewoodsonthe Tanfield Railway on March30. Theevent wasthe first FreightTrain Dayofthe line’s Tanfield 300year, celebratingthe world’soldest workingrailway.

Twizzell wasdelivered newtoJames Joicey &Company’s BeamishRailway in County Durham.Owned by Beamish Museum,itistoo bigfor itsrunning line andisonlong-term loan to Tanfield.Inlate2018itwas withdrawn from servicefollowing issues with its boiler. Following itsoverhaul, Twizzell returned to steamafter passingaboiler test in December last year

FurtherFreight TrainDayswillbeheld on April27, June 29 andSeptember 28, with theline’s demonstrations goods rake running alongsideits vintage passengertrains. SeealsoOff TheShelf, page 94. KARL HE ATH

Thesum awarded means the Great WesternS ociet ycan advanceto producing adetailed and in- depth proposal which it can then submit to the National Lotter yHeritage Fund in the hope of securing afur ther grantof£3.5 million to complete the work in time forthe building’s centenar yin2032.

Spring sunshinefor Welsh na rrow-gauge char ters of ﬁr st s

By Owen Hayward

REGULARS on the photographic chartercircuit will no doubt be familiar with the annual pilgrimages to Wales,with several days booked out in Marchand November,and each taking in manyofthe narrowgauge lines.With events ranging from featuring newly-overhauled locomotives on their first outings to recreating classic scenes,theseoften sell outmonths in advanceand thus bring in valuable funds to the railways involved,while resulting in stunning shots thatformthe backbone of publicitymaterials.

This year ’s sequenceofevents featureunique selling points,with thestartofproceedings focusing on the Welsh Highland Railway,where Hunslet 2-6-2T Russell took centre stage on March7-9.

Built in 1906, Russell is the solesur viving locomotivefromthe original Welsh Highland Railway.Its working lifebegan with the North Wales NarrowGauge Railways’ network of lines,beforebecoming the property of the WHR afterabuyout in 1922. After the failing WHR wastaken over by the

nearby Ffestiniog Railway in 1924, Russell receivedmodificationstolower theheight; however, its width still made it unable to run over partsofthe route. When the WHR closed in 1937, it worked the final through train before being leftin the sheds at Dinas

Thecharters saw Russell paired with arake of traditional WHR carriages closely resembling ser vices that would have run prior to theclosureofthe route. Last overhauled in 2014, Russell is shortly due to be withdrawn from ser vice foranother overhaul

Thefirstofa sequence of special trains wasscheduled forApril 5, with tworound tripsbetween Porthmadog and Beddgelert.Afurther twotrips will take placeonApril 12, before a final long-haul outing on April18will see Russell run the full 25 miles from Porthmadog to Caernar fonand back Russell’s final dayofser vice will be the following day, whenitwill work trips alongthe Welsh Highland Heritage Railway

Superpowerstars

TheWHR sessions also took in recently-completedSouth African State RailwaysNG15 2-8-2 No.134,

Hugh Napier worksa lengthyskiptrain up thespiralatDduallt as Palmerston passes belowwiththe Victoriancarriages on March14. ROBERT FALCONER

which has been undergoingtesting since first moving under its own powerlast September following a lengthyrestoration spanning more than aquarterofa centur y. The locomotivewas coupled to arake of the WHR’s South African goods wagons, completewith brake van.

Prior to the charters,No. 134 under went agauging run to Nantmor, havingonlypreviously been taken as far as Rhyd Dyu. Themain areas of concernonvirginterritory forthe locomotivewerecrossing timbers which arehigher than elsewhere and thatmighthavecaughtthe draincocks; thankfully, these concerns proved to be unfounded.The trip also gave an opportunitytocheck clearances on Pitt’s Head road bridge and the platform at Beddgelert, wherethe Chinese five-chime whistle wasalso tested.Ithas been deemed tooloud forregular use on regular ser vices and thus will only be heard on special occasions oncethe NG15 fully enters traffic

Completing the line -up was Tasmanian Garratt0-4-0+0-4-0 K1.

Further charters took placeon March13/14 on the Ffestiniog

Railway,where England 0-4-0ST T No.5 Palmerston and PenrhynQuarry Hunslet 0-4-0ST Hugh Napier starred on Victorian carriages and skip wagons respectively

Looking downhill

Avisit wasalsopaid to the Talyllyn Railway,where recently overhaul Fletcher Jennings 0-4-2ST No.1 Talyllyn wascoupled to the original fleet of Victorian-erafour wheel carriages throughout the March10-12 photographic session there, with the locomotivecurrently sporting aGreat Eastern-inspired lined blue liver y. However, Talyllyn wasnot necessarily the star on this occasion, as it wasrostered alongside wasKerr Stuart‘ Tattoo’0-4-2ST No. 4 Edward Thomas carryinglined worksgrey, a scheme very similar to howitwould have been delivered to the Corris Railway when newin1921 prior to laterreceiving themorefamiliar red associatedwith the line there. With the line climbingnorthwards from TywynWharf towardsthe slate quarries of NantGwernol, the Talyllyn Railway locomotives normally faceuphill.Onthis occasion,

Soon to be withdrawnfor overhaul,Hunslet 2- 6-2T Russell catchesthe sunshine in theAberglaslyn Pass on March9. ANDREW SIMMONS

Turnedtofacedownhillfor thefirst time since2010, No.4EdwardThomas creeps outofthe woodland southofAbergynolwynwitha shortCorristrain. LUKE RYAN

No.4was turned to facesouth, thereforeopening aplethora of new photographic opportunities It wasnot the first time alocomotive has faced this wayinthe railway ’s histor y, with Hughes Falcon No.3

having first run on the Talyllyn Railway in 1951 facing thisway due to the Corris-style cab having an opening on one side only,while Andrew Barclay 0-4-0W TNo. 6 Douglas also briefly faced thisway too. No.4has been

On March7,recentlyrestoredNG15No. 134roundsDragonCurve with arakeof SouthAfrican Railways’ballast wagons. ANDREW SIMMONDS

Facing off: Nos. 4(left)and 1simmeronshedatPendreinararemomentwithtwo steamlocomotives facing oneanother. LUKE

turned forphotographic charters in thepast, the most recent havingtaken place15years ago in2010.

Theturning of No.4 wasachieved through use of aportable turntable which has existed specifically forthis

Martyisnow in charge at Donegal

By Hugh Dougher ty

MA RT YGilroy has been appointed as the new manager at Donegal Railway Heritage Museum. The33-year-old nativeofDrumkeen, County Donegal, is agraduate in English and histor y from UniversityCollege Dublin, and also holds masters and doctorate qualifications.Hecut his teeth in tourism as marketing and events coordinatoratthe James JoyceCentre in Dublin and waspar tofthe team promoting the highly successful annual BloomsdayFestival.

Marty, who has taken over from Niall McCaughan, said: “When Isaw the job adver tised,Idecided it was forme as Iwantedawhole new challenge and to fur ther develop this award-winning museum.

“Although I’mmuch tooyoung to remember the railwaysofDonegal, Idoremember as achild the awakening to their heritage thattook placearoundthe millennium and whichhas continued since. I’ve been told thatDrumkeen used to be on the County Donegal RailwaysStranorlarLetterkennybus route, so there is

aconnection there! And,ifyou’re look ing foradirectconnection with the railway,mypar tnerGenevieveis the greatgranddaughterofone the Ballyshannon stationmasters,and I’ve been hardatworklearning all thereistok nowabout the railwaysof Donegal.Inow know the difference between standardand narrow gauge, which, if I’mcorrect,is 2ft3in!”

Martysaid thatpar tofhis vision is to focus on howthe stor yofthe railwaysisalso the stor yofthe

Departingmanager NiallMcCaughan (left) presents atrain stafffor the Donegal-Inversection of theKillybegs line to thenew incumbent, Marty Gilroy,who hastaken over at Donegal RailwayHeritageMuseum. DRHM

people of Donegal,shaping the waythey lived,worked,socialised and engaged with the rest of the countr y. He also plans to fur ther develop the family-friendly side of the museum and to engagemore with local musicians and ar tists,while continuing the ongoing core work of rescuing and restoring railway ar tefacts from around the county for displayatDonegal Town.

He said: “I also want to playmy par t, along with ever yone else in the county,inrighting historicalwrongs to bring rail travel back to Donegal.

“The museum has aunique role to playinthatregard. Niall McCaughan passed on awell- oiled engine with plenty of momentum to me.

“AsIstepintothe cab, I’mlook ing forwardtowhatlies fur ther down the track.”

Themuseum’s chairman of the boardoftrustees,Seamus O’Donnell,said: “Weare delighted to welcome Martytohis new post and look forwardtoworking with him to develop our railway museum even fur ther as an integral par tof Donegal’s histor yand heritage.”

purpose sincethe early 2000s and was recently refurbished.The opportunity wasalso taken to rotate otheritems of stock –including Ruston &Hornbsy 4WDM No.5 Midlander –toevenout flange wear

‘Middy’extension gets greenlight

THE MidSuﬀolk LightRailway has announced thatits 550-yard extension, which will double the length of its currentoperating line,will see its ﬁrst public trains soon, afteritwas awarded the necessaryTransport& Works Act Order on February21.

Astatementsaid: “Following the end of the 42-dayperiod forany challenges against the decision, no such challenges were received.”

An opening date wasdue to be announced shortly afterthis issue closed forpress

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Connec twithus heritage -railwaymagazine

RYAN

Newmanager soughtfor London’s local heritageline

THE EppingOngar Railway is seeking afresh facetojoin its team –through avacancyfor abusinessand commercial manager thatcould provejust rightfor one luckyapplicant.

Sincereopening in May2012 as asteam and heritage diesel line,the EOR has gradually expanded its leadership team as it seeks to secureits long and short-term future. “Weare the closest heritage railway to centralLondon and the largest in Essexand Hertfordshire,”a statementsaid.“With plans for significantexpansion, including apotential rail link with Epping, and the creation of acharitable trust,this is an exciting time to join our team and makea lasting impact.

“Weare looking foradynamic business and commercial manager to driveour growth, oversee our operations,and shape our strategicfuture. This is arareopportunitytolead a thriving heritage attraction, working alongside adedicated team of staff and morethan 250 volunteers.”

Responsible

duties

Therole will involveduties such as overseeing the safeand eﬃcientoperation of the railway and its connecting heritage bus services,while leading some of the exciting upcoming expansion projects,which will include the development of a new visitor centre and transport museum, as well as the possible futurerail-to-rail link with London Underground.Further responsibilities will include engaging with stakeholders, building partnerships,and securingprojectfunding.

Theideal candidate would have proven leadership experienceina senior managementrole with commercial acumen and atrack record of delivering growth. Good communication skillsand the abilitytomotivateteams is amust,while an interest in heritage,tourism andtransport is ideal but not anecessity.

Applicants areadvised to send aCVand coverletter to enquiries@eorailway.co.uk, while afull job description can be found online at https:// tinyurl.com/EOR-Manager

Nextstop, Mexico: Dereha m’sHST fa rewell

By Robin Jones

THE star of the Mid-Nor folk Railway ’s diesel- oriented30th anniversary weekend proved to be an InterCity Class 125 High Speed Train –which wasmak ing its last passengercarrying trips inBritain beforebeing shipped across the Atlantic fora new lifeinMexico.

GreatWesternRailway Class43 powercars Nos.43153 and 43194 are among aset of eightbeing expor ted by theRomicGroup,a specialist in the procurementand worldwide sale of new,used and overhauled or remanufactured locomotives and rolling stock

Thepair,loaned to the MNR for the anniversar yevent,hauled a set of four matching Mk.3coaches on aseries of round trips between Dereham and Wymondham each day. The125 train sets arebeing supplied to theInteroceanic Train of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec,a Mexican government- owned railroad system thatseeks to become a global logistics network focused on the manufactureand movement of goodsbetween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.The existingrailroad from Coatzacoalcos to Salina Cruz is beingrenovated to allowanincrease in speedsofpassenger trains to 62mph and freightto43mph.

In August 2023, three 43s and 11 Mk.3swereexpor tedfor use of the system, followedbya second shipmentin2024, while other

Class43power carNo. 43153standsat Derehamafter headinga servicefrom WymondhamonMarch 23 ROBINJONES

examples went to Nigeria.The pair thatran at the MNR eventwere scheduled to be par tofthe third consignmenttoMexicoand were due to be shipped between April 10-20.

TheClass 43s were built by BR Engineering LtdatCrewe Works between 1975 and 1982, and first enteredser vicefrom1976. The125 holds the worldspeed record for rail diesel traction, with 148.5mph reached by powercars Nos.43102 and 43159 between Nor thaller ton and York during test running on November 1, 1987. HSTswere withdrawnenmasse following the introduction of Hitachi Class 80x fleets between 2017 and 2019.

An agreementexists between the Romic Group and the MNR to store coaches pending fur ther use at home or expor t.

AMNR statementgavespecial thanks to the Romic Group for

supplying the HSTset forthe anniversar y, whichalso featured Class 33 No.33202 and Class47 No.47580, with Class 03 No.03063

Paul A. Mobbs in action on Driver fora Fiverexperiences at Dereham station on the Sunday.

Meanwhile,the Mid-Nor folk Railway Preser vation Trust has bought twoClass 47 diesels from the Stratford 47 Group,tak ing ownership of long-time and regular performers Nos.47580 CountyofEssex and No.47596 Aldeburgh Festival.Atrust statementsaid: “Both organisations have worked closely to ensure that these locomotives remain activeand accessible,enhancing the railway ’s operations while offering visitors an authentic glimpseintoBritain’s railway histor y.”

➜

TheMNR is seeking to appointa new general manager in apaid role: see advertisementonpage 69 for moredetails.

Class03No. 03063 Paul A. Mobbs at DerehamonDriverfor aFiver duties duringthe diesel-dominatedMNR 30th anniversaryevent on Sunday, March23. ROBINJONES