Heritage Railway - Issue 271

LOTTERY £250K FOR FFESTINIOG & WELSH HIGHLAND

ISSUE 271

September 4 – October 1, 2020

For the first time in 85 y years…

THREE ENGLANDS STEAMING TOGETHER HER IN WALES! W £4.50

RUNNING AGAIN:

No. 271

PRINTED IN THE UK

WORTH VALLEY,, GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARWICKSHIRE E, MOORSLINE TO WHITBY, T EAST AND WEST LANCASHIRE… AND MORE!

B BECOME PART OF CLASSIC C ELTON JOHN J LP COVER – AT A THE BLUEBELL! ■ ‘INSTANT’ RESPONSE TO BO’NESS LANDSLIP SOS ■ BLUE PULLMAN FOR MAIN LINE IN NOVEMBER ■ NO. 71000 DUKE OF GLOUCESTER IN FOCUS

PROFILED

SEVERN VALLEY

‘MIGHTY MOGUL’

CONTENTS ISSUE 271

September 4, 2020 – October 1, 2020

News

9

Headline News

■ Three Englands running in Wales

6

for the first time in 85 years!

■ ‘Lightning’ response to Bo’ness & Kinneil landslip SOS appeal ■ Polar Express is a big winner for South Devon Railway ■ Bequeathed models aid Welshpool & Llanfair Covid-19 appeal ■ Bahamas group’s £61.5k Lottery win ahead of Mid-Hants visit

33

News

■ Tornado back in BR green for

10

builder’s 30th birthday appeal ■ Corfe Castle anniversary appeal funds grow – but more is needed ■ Bluebell restages Elton John’s album cover 50 years on ■ NRM’s Taff Vale tank to return to steam after 30 years ■ Passing trains back on the Severn Valley Railway!

■ Boom time for Talyllyn Railway as services restart after lockdown ■ Sir Keith Park’s ‘temporary’ Spa Valley home becomes permanent ■ Kerr’s Miniature Railway to be closed after 85 years

55

Main Line News

52

■ Statesman Rail to bring back Blue

Pullman in November ■ Tornado comeback tour called off because of Stonehaven tragedy ■ Railway Touring Company restarts ‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’

With Full Regulator

58

In his latest column, Don Benn reports on performances by two of the SR Merchant Navy Pacifics.

4 Heritagerailway.co.uk

CONTENTS: Southern Railway S15 4-6-0 No. 30825 returns through Goathland on the first day of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s new non-stop ‘Optimist’ services from Pickering to Whitby. LUKE HUDMAN/NYMR COVER: WR ‘Modified Hall’ 4-6-0 No. 7903 Foremarke Hall dramatically bursts beneath the bridge at Dixton with an August 9 test train on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, prior to the relaunch of public services on August 15. See News, pages 14-15.

Regulars

Features

Subscribe Today Railwayana

30 46

Geoff Courtney’s regular column.

Centre

Two views, 25 years apart on the Swanage Railway – No. 34072 257 Squadron at Corfe Castle.

50 Main Line Itinerary

56

Platform

86

Off the Shelf

88

Up & Running

92

Next Stop

98

Steam railtours.

Where your views matter most.

Latest book and DVD releases.

Guide to railways running in September.

A lighter, quirkier look at events.

‘Mighty Mogul’ fit for the future

Severn Valley Railway-based sole-surviving LMS 2-6-0 No. 42968, owned by the Stanier Mogul Fund, is, like its home line, celebrating half a century of preservation. Gareth Evans learns about the ‘Stanier Mogul’s’ history, the latest on the overhaul and how its owning group has enthusiastically embraced succession planning.

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76

82

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Models

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Organising a charter train

In words and pictures, Martin Creese of 30742 Charters, shares his thoughts and experiences of running photographic charter trains over the last 23 years, including what it takes to successfully plan, promote and operate safely in an ever-changing world.

Two prairies, two paths in preservation

GWR small prairies Nos. 5521 and 5538 had very different futures awaiting them. These fine Swindon products are now shedmates in that they’re both undergoing overhauls at the Flour Mill workshop in the Forest of Dean, writes Bill Parker.

Memories of a humble booking clerk

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Model News

69

Bachmann’s new releases – plus the latest on Rails of Sheffield’s new NER Autocar model.

See page 30

The incomparable Duke of Gloucester

72

Find the latest news, images and discussion online only at:

Pete Kelly takes a look at the latest offering from Mortons Books which vividly captures life behind the scenes of Liverpool’s railways in the first half of the Sixties.

90

Born out of tragedy, the story of Britain’s unique BR Standard Class 8 Pacific No. 71000 is one you simply couldn’t make up. Pete Kelly recounts its impossible story and looks at some of the models that have been made of all three BR Standard Pacific types.

Like us facebook.com/ heritagerailway Follow us @HeritageRailMag Connect with us heritage-railwaymagazine Heritagerailway.co.uk 5

MAIN PICTURE: The timeless Swanage Railway – Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34072 257 Squadron passes the ruins of medieval Corfe Castle en route to Norden from Swanage on July 29. ANDREW PM WRIGHT INSET: The name locomotive heads a Swanagebound train out of Corfe Castle on August 12, 1995, the first year that heritage trains ran to Norden. ANDREW PM WRIGHT

LOCOMOTIVE PROFILE

‘MIGHTY MOGUL’

FIT FOR THE FUTURE

Severn Valley Railway-based sole-surviving LMS 2-6-0 No. 42968, owned by the Stanier Mogul Fund, is - like its home line - celebrating half a century of preservation.

Gareth Evans learns about the Stanier mogul’s history, the latest on the overhaul and how its owning group has enthusiastically embraced succession planning.

At a glance Numbers carried: 13268, 2968, 42968 Wheel arrangement: 2-6-0 Built: 1934 Original operator: LMS BR rating: 5MT Withdrawn: December 31, 1966 Current location: Severn Valley Railway Owner: Stanier Mogul Fund

62 Heritagerailway.co.uk

ENDOFPREVI EW

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