Saint may help celebrate Didcot’s Blue King swansong
DIDCOTRailwayCentre is aiming to provideanAugustBankholiday weekend spectacular tomarkoneof the last appearancesofblue- liveriedGWR 4- 6- 0No. 6023 KingEdward II.
It is hoped to have it running alongside award- winning new- build GWR Saint 4- 6- 0 No. 2999 Lady of Legend. If that happens, it could be one of the last occasions the pair run together beforeNo. 6023’ s 10- year boiler ticket expires.
Resuming operations at the
21- acre living museum under the banner of Summer Steam Days on Wednesdays and at weekends from July 18, the pair were rostered for July and August.
No. 2999 hauled trains during July, and the following month was booked to run at weekendswith the blue King hauling theWednesday trains.
The trips feature 1901- built Dean ThirdNo. 1941 and Churchward Brake
ThirdNo. 3755 of 1921. Both vehicles are non- corridor compartment stock, allowing each group of visitors to be accommodated in their own individual compartment.
Success
Thereturnofworkingsteamtrains followedaseries of successful staticopen days startingonJuly 4/ 5, which attracted morethan 300visitors.
Chief executive Emma Jhita said: “Visitor feedback about the measures we have implemented towelcome our audiences back safely has been very positive. We have limited numbers, staggered arrival times and set up extra outdoor displays and photo opportunities.
“Our preserved steam locomotives have been like slumbering giants, so we are delighted that we can now reawaken them and start running trains. Therewill be a separate entrance and exit to the platformand we will invite visitors to board one group at a time.”
Regarding the bank holiday running, Didcot’s head of visitor experience and marketing Graham Hukins said:“We’re taking things step by step, but if all goes well and we can safely increase the number of visitors, then we want to run the two together beforeNo. 6023’ s ticket expires.”
Meanwhile, it was announced on July 1 that the centre has been shortlisted in the Restoration/ Conservation Project category of the annual Museums& Heritage Awards for the 24- year £ 825,000 restoration of No. 2999.
Emma said:“This is wonderful news – a real tribute to the hardwork and enthusiasm of the team here at Didcot. It is a great boost for morale as we get ready to reopen after being stopped in our tracks by coronavirus.
“It is particularly rewarding to be recognised nationally, especially as we’re not a conventional museum or gallery. The competition is going to be extremely tough, but making the shortlist alongside the Palace ofWestminster, Chatham Historic Dockyard, The Box at Plymouth and Aberdeen Art Gallery is a huge achievement for us.”
Shortlist
Also shortlisted in theawards is the Ffestiniog& WelshHighlandRailways under the Learning Programmeof theYear category for its heritage skills training programme, and London TransportMuseumin theTemporaryor Touring Exhibition of theYear category for its Hidden LondonExhibition.
Postponed because of the Covid- 19 pandemic, the Museums+ Heritage Showwill now take place onMay 12/ 13, 2021 at Olympia London.