Heritage Railway Issue 312

OPINION THE warmer and sunnier than expected weather produced a rich, ripe crop of stunning autumn galas and a welcome windfall for the lines that staged them. Attendances across the board have, in most cases, exceeded expectations, with the Great Central Railway’s passenger figures more than 35% up on those for the corresponding event in 2022. Despite the current cost-of-living crisis, the gala season has again proved that special events on heritage railways continue to be a‘must visit’, not only for the enthusiast following, but for the general public too. As our series of autumn gala features in this issue highlights, the rich and varied programmes devised by the lines to maximise the appeal of these special events have reaped big dividends. However, while the leaves are changing hues and…

IT was a sight that until a few years ago nobody thought would ever be repeated – a double Fairlie named James Spooner running out of Porthmadog. However, on October 6, and seven years after the project was announced in March 2016, it became a reality once more when the Ffestiniog Railway’s replacement for the retired Earl of Merioneth (aka‘The Square’) made its debut as part of the annual BygonesWeekend. Many visitors and enthusiasts braved the harsh weather conditions to catch a glimpse of the highlyanticipated locomotive and soak up the history of the line, the weekend being one of the main fixtures of the its annual calendar that sees it bring many of its‘toys out of the box’to show off the 13 ½ miles at its very best. Whether…

A FIRE was lit inside LMS Stanier mogul No. 2968 for the first time a decade on October 15 at Bridgnorth Shed on the Severn Valley Railway. The following day, it was slowly brought up to full pressure for the various steam tests to take place. With its extensive overhaul ending, subject to final testing, No. 2968 could be working trains once again soon. All Stanier moguls were built at Crewe Works and were a development of the Hughes ‘Crabs’, it incorporating a taper boiler and a higher boiler pressure which allowed smaller cylinders. As No. 13268, it entered traffic in 1934 and was allocated to Willesden shed. During its life it covered 713,561 miles for the LMS and BR to the end of 1960, when records ceased. Its last…

GWR Churchward heavy freight 2-8-0 No. 2807 returned to steam at Toddington depot at its Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway home on September 21 following a three-year overhaul. Owned by Cotswold Steam Preservation Ltd, which rescued it from Barry in 1981, making it the first locomotive from DaiWoodham’s scrapyard to arrive at the formative G/WR, No. 2807 was brought into steam at about 6pm and ran a few miles within the yard confines during the evening. CSPL chairman Brian Gamlin said: “There was, of course, that moment the team members held their breath when steam issued from the cylinder drain cocks as the regulator was opened, watching for the first movement – which generated a huge cheer!There remain outstanding tasks, as well as the inevitable snags to be fettled, that showed themselves…

THE owners of WR Class 52 diesel hydraulic D1048 Western Lady have given it to the Western Locomotive Association, which also owns D1013 Western Ranger and D1062 Western Courier. An association statement said: “The WLA is also grateful to the Severn Valley Railway for allowing D1048 to remain on the SVR for the time being, following its recent participation as a static exhibit at the Autumn Diesel Bash –The Magnificent Seven (see News, pages 22/23 ). This will enable us to carry out a full assessment on the locomotive, and the WLA membership will then be asked if they wish to see the locomotive returned to working order, if at all possible. “In the meantime, the priority for the WLA is to return D1013 back into service during 2024.”…

SWANAGE was filled with the sound of church bells on the morning of Saturday, October 7 as invited guests arrived at the seaside resort to witness an historic moment – the first public trains headed by London and South Western RailwayT3 4-4-0 No. 563 following an absence of three quarters of a century and the completion of a six-year £650,000 restoration. Among the guests was Swanage Railway Trust patron Sir Philip Williams, whose great-grandfather was a board member of the LSWR, which designed and built the steam locomotive. Generations of Sir Philip’s ancestors also played an important part in enabling the LSWR to reach Dorchester from Southampton in 1847 by helping to promote the required Act of Parliament and buying land over which the railway would need a right of…