GCR 8F to appear alongside Saint at Severn Valley Railway spring gala

THE Severn Valley Railway is hosting the first visit away from its Didcot Railway Centre home of new Saint 4-6-0 No. 2999 Lady of Legend, which was completed and commissioned by the Great Western Society in 2019.

Dubbed the ‘78th Saint’, Lady of Legend is the first new example of George Jackson Churchward’s Edwardian Saint 4-6-0 to be built since 1913.

Churchward’s iconic design included many revolutionary advances which influenced almost all subsequent British steam locomotive development, yet the class became extinct following the scrapping of No. 2920 Saint David in 1953.

Launched on April 5 last year, the winner of the Heritage Railway Association’s new Chairman’s Special Award 2020 has until now been confined to Didcot’s demonstration lines during shake down tests and commissioning on short passenger operations.

Now it will get its first opportunity to test itself on full-length trains along 16 miles of railway during the line’s April 16-19 spring steam gala weekend, held later than usual due to the temporary closure of the

Bewdley-kidderminster section while major repairs have been undertaken on Falling Sands Viaduct.

No. 2999 should present a stunning vision at the head of the SVR’S beautifully restored GWR chocolateand-cream Churchward and Collett coaching stock during the weekend. The event is also due to feature two other visitors – including LMS Stanier 8F No. 48305. The 2-8-0 will also be having an extended holiday away from its Great Central Railway home as it will be staying on until September to haul timetabled service trains.

The line has never hired a Stanier 8F for a gala or at any other period, although it is no stranger to the type, with No. 48773 (LMS No. 8233) once a regular performer on the line and now resident in the Engine House at Highley.

The third visitor for the gala is sole surviving class member WR Hawksworth 0-6-0PT No. 1638 from the Kent & East Sussex Railway, which previously visited the line in 2005 and 2014.

It is also possible that recentlyarrived RSH Austerity 0-6-0ST Welsh Guardsman will appear during the gala (see separate story opposite).

➜ More details at www.svr.co.uk