WITH the end of the peak summer season on the horizon, several heritage railway venues are preparing themselves for the traditional autumn gala season.
The Severn Valley Railway’s September 14-17 Autumn Steam Gala promises to be an interesting affair with a host of attractions – including visiting locos and two nights of overnight running.
The first guest locomotive announced is Thompson ‘B1’ 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower. This will be the first time the apple-green loco has been in public service on the SVR, although it visited in October and November last year for testing, following the installation of its air-braking system. Appearing on the SVR courtesy of owners Locomotive 61306 Limited and Locomotive Services Limited, No. 61306 can normally be seen at the head of main line excursions.
“Securing this locomotive is definitely a coup for us,” said SVR managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster.
“Our autumn event continues our celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the formation of the ‘Big Four’ railway companies, and Mayflower will be a superb representative for the LNER, and it’s going to look absolutely the part paired with the SVR’s matching rake of Gresleydesigned teak carriages.”
The second visiting loco is Bagnall 0-6-0ST No. 401, appearing courtesy of North Tyneside Steam Railway and Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, which is set to make it inaugural visit to the SVR. By mid-July, another guest loco announcement was
