‘NUMBER NINE’ TO JOIN LEANDER AT EAST LANCS SPRING GALA

In addition to its visit to the Nene Valley Railway (see separate story), Union of South Africa has also been booked for the East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Spring Steam Gala’ on March 2-4. John Cameron’s ‘Streak’ is the second guest engine confirmed for the three-day event on the HeywoodRawtenstall line, and will line up alongside previously announced ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander (see SR476). The pair will join members of the ELR home steam fleet at the gala, including ‘Crab’ No. 13065 – itself recently the star of the Great Central Railway’s January 26-28 ‘Winter Steam Gala – ‘West Country’ No. 34092 City of Wells, LYR ‘Class 27’ 0-6-0 No. 52322 and ‘Black Fives’ Nos. 45407 ‘The Lancashire Fusilier’ and 45212.