The Severn Valley Railway’s last big steam event of 2023, the September 1417 autumn gala, featured the welcome return of night running and a special focus on freight, including a genuine pick-up goods.
The four guest locomotives - Bagnall 0-6-0ST No. 401 Vulcan, B1 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower, USATC 2-8-0 2253 Omaha and Ivatt Standard 2 2-6-2T No. 41312 - ran alongside SVR regulars GWR pannier tank No. 7714, flagship No. 4930 Hagley Hall, rebuilt Bulleid West Country light Pacific No. 21C127, Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75069 and Ivatt 4MT ‘Flying Pig’ 2-6-0 No. 43106.
Mayflower came from LNWR Heritage at Crewe, No. 41312 from the Mid-Hants Railway, No. 401 from the North Tyneside Steam Railway, and Pete Best’s No. 2253 from the Dartmouth Steam Railway.
No. 401 (works No. 2994) was designed as Bagnall’s new standard postwar heavy shunter and was one of three supplied new to the Steel Company of Wales for use at Abbey works
