IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
The Spa Valley Railway’s three-day Winter Steam Gala on February 9-11 made for a successful start to the railway after a record year for passenger numbers during its 2023 operating season: however, the event came under threat when beset by a sequence of unfortunate events involving its two starring BR Standard locomotives.
Headlining the occasion was BR 2MT 2-6-0 No. 78019, which appeared courtesy of the Great Central Railway and the Loughborough Standard Locomotive Group. Having spent the festive period gracing the nearby Kent & East Sussex Railway, the locomotive had returned to its Leicestershire base during January in order to appear at the GCR’sown successful winter steam gala (as reported last issue) and from there was booked to
