CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF MAIN LINE STEAM
The end of main line steam in 1968 spurred thousands of enthusiasts to emulate the successful early preservation schemes like the Talyllyn, Ffestiniog, Keighley & Worth Valley, Dart Valley, Bluebell and Severn Valley railways and devise similar projects of their own. However, it was only a matter of time before questions were asked – what about running steam specials on the network once again?
Having a fleet of main line steam locomotives on a heritage line is indeed a superb achievement. Yet there were many who, while admiring the preservationists, remained more than a little disappointed.
Heritage lines run under the provisions of the 1896 Light Railways Act, which set a maximum speed of 25mph. Seeing a glorious green, red, black or blue giant from the halcyon age of steam looking resplendent and well cared for at a preservation base is one thing, but riding behind as it stretches its legs and shows just what it is capable of doing is another.
British Rail imposed its ban on the use of steam locomotives to haul main line trains after IT57, the ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’, ran on August 11, 1968. One locomotive was exempt from the ban – A3 Pacific No. 4472 Flying Scotsman, which had been bought out of service by the late Alan Pegler in 1963. The ban, which excluded BR’s 2ft gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway, was slightly lifted to permit a mere handful of positioning moves and also to allow three preserved locomotives, including GWR 4-6-0 No. 7029 Clun Castle, to steam on a length of track at Cricklewood Depot open day in July 1969.
Because permission had been obtained before the ban was announced, the Great Western Society took its Collett 0-4-2T No. 1466 and matching auto-trailer No. 231 to operate a service on the Cholsey to Wallingford branch on September 21, 1968.
However, total embarked on its ill-fated tour of North America later that year. There were still very local exceptions, such as in 1969 when preserved LNER J27 0-6-0 No. 65894 was steamed over the main line from the NCB works at Philadephia to Thornaby depot, passing through Newcastle Central in the middle of the day, and in October that year when North Eastern Railway Preservation Group members ran its Q6 0-8-0 No. 63395 up and down Thornaby depot yard.
