THE Severn Valley Railway has signed a deal with Class 20189 Ltd for No. 20048 to be based on the line until October 2022. The ‘Chopper’ arrived at Kidderminster from the Midland Railway – Butterley on June 10, its transfer being undertaken by Nos. 20142/007. The move comes owing to an increase in diesel usage on the line owing to coal shortages/price increases and the need to reduce operating costs.
No. 20048 was quickly put into service, and, following a Fitness To’s former Shunters & Industrials columnist who passed away suddenly earlier this year and would have been celebrating his 56th birthday. Alistair was part of the Midland Class Twenty Association (MCTA), which owned the loco until its sale to Class 20189 Ltd in early 2021. Stopped in 2016 for overhaul, repairs were largely completed by the MCTA prior to the loco being sold after almost 30 years in preservation.