‘FIFTEEN GUINEA’ REUNION FOR 70013’s KWVR FINALE

Two end of BR steam veterans will be reunited at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s Spring Gala on March 9-11, after ‘7MT’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell was confirmed as a short-notice guest. The Riddles-designed twocylinder ‘Pacific’ will appear alongside Ian Riley’s ‘Black Five’ No. 44871 at the three-day event; both locomotives took part in the famous ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ Liverpool-Carlisle railtour on August 11 1968 – the last steamhauled passenger train on BR. KWVR Events Organiser Kieran Pilsworth says: “It’s fitting that when the KWVR opened 50 years ago, No. 70013 was still working specials for BR and had yet to do its famous ‘1T57’ railtour. “In our 50th year we’re delighted to be able to welcome Oliver Cromwell to our line.” Another locomotive with 1968 credentials expected to appear at the gala is ‘4F’ No. 43924, which became the first steam locomotive to be rescued from Barry scrapyard in September 1968, one month after the end of BR steam. A second locomotive expected to bow out at the gala is the Bahamas Locomotive Society’s Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T Works No. 1704 Nunlow, which is due for withdrawal in April. Previously announced guests completing the line-up are visiting ‘7F’ No. 53808 and KWVR residents BR ‘4MT’ No. 75078, USATC ‘S160’ No. 5820, TVR ‘O2’ No. 85 and LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054.