STANDARD TANK BACK ON SUBURBAN STOCK AT ‘POPPY LINE’ SPRING GALA

A suburban Standard tank will be paired with a BR Mk 1 suburban rake at the North Norfolk Railway’s ‘Spring Steam Gala’ in April, with the announcement that ‘4MT’ No. 80136 is booked to attend. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway-based 2-6-4T is the first visiting locomotive confirmed for the April 20-22 event, where it will run with the NNR’s four-coach Mk 1 suburban coach set, recalling its days on the London, Tilbury & Southend route in 1956-62. Another locomotive likely to appear at the gala is ‘7F’ No. 53809, which moved to the NNR in January for an initial six-month hire period (see SR476), although the S&D 2-8-0’s stay could be extended to 12 years if both the railway and the locomotive’s owner, the 13809 Preservation Society, agree terms this summer. The NNR will also be able to field ‘Y14’ No. 564, ‘B12’ No. 8572, ‘N2’ No. 1744, WD 2-10-0 No. 90775 and ‘9F’ No. 92203 ‘Black Prince’.