‘BRIT’ LEADS BIG 1968 GALA
Great Central plans 50th anniversary show with a variety of appropriate engines.
Oliver Cromwell and ‘Black Five’ No. 45305 should be the stars of a celebration marking 50 years since the end of BR steam. The Great Central Railway plans to run the two 1968 celebrities at an event over the weekends of August 4/5 and 11/12 next year. ‘Standard Five’ No. 73156 and at least one ‘8F’ could also take part. “The idea would be to have a fairly big 1968-themed event, based around Nos. 45305 and 70013,” the GCR’s Richard Patching told Steam Railway. “Hopefully we should have No. 73156 as well, as we’re expecting it back this year.” Both Nos. 45305 and 70013 were active on farewell specials on August 4 1968, while Oliver Cromwell famously took part in the very last train, the ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’, on August 11. The ‘Black Five’ would have been involved too, had its brick arch not collapsed shortly before; its place was taken by classmate No. 45110, now on the Severn Valley Railway. These days, both Nos. 45305 and the Steam Railway appeal ‘Britannia’ are based at the GCR, in the care of the 5305 Locomotive Association. Loughborough is also home to No. 73156 - withdrawn in 1967 but which could potentially represent classmate No. 73069, which was active on August 4 1968; and two ‘8Fs’ - Nos. 48624 and the currently under-overhaul No. 48305. Southern Railway-built No. 48624 is due to be withdrawn for overhaul in August 2018, so its participation is not yet certain. The event is part of the long farewell for No. 70013, which is due to be retired from main line charter work next spring. ‘Cromwell’ is currently being prepared for a return to charter operation, which is likely to take place in June, based at Southall. Repairs to its superheater elements are being completed at Tyseley Locomotive Works and trial running is planned at the GCR for early June, before transport by road to the capital. It follows a catalogue of repairs, including re-tyring, which has been ongoing since November 2014. The 4-6-2 is expected to be used on specials for Steam Dreams and the Railway Touring Company until its main line boiler certificate expires in March.