One out but Isle of Mull in for Moors summer

LNER J27 No. 65894 will be taking a six-week break from its North Yorkshire Moors Railway base to visit the Kent and East Sussex Railway over the summer.

Built in 1923 as LNER No. 2392, the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group-owned Wilson Worsdell locomotive’s arrival and departure dates were yet to be confirmed.

No. 65894’s visit away from the Yorkshire line over the summer is something of a regular occurrence; it has often been hired out to lessdemanding railways as it is unable to manage the NYMR’s heavier trains over this period.

“We look forward to seeing this loco running on the KESR and making up a very different steam fleet for this year’s summer season,” said a spokesman for the line.

Following its return to service earlier this year, the Scottish Railway Preservation Society Diesel Group’s Class 37 No. 37403 Isle of Mull is to spend the summer on the NYMR.

Its visit, due to have started in early May, means it will miss the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway’s May 27-29 diesel gala at which a Freightliner Class 70 was set to attend.

“Like many other tourist venues the SRPS has been badly affected over the last two years, while funding extensive work carried out on No. 37403. The hire to NYMR is an opportunity to help offset some of this expenditure,” said a SRPS spokesman. “We appreciate the absence from our gala will bring some disappointment to our visitors, but we hope that they will understand and still come and enjoy the event.”

No. 37403 is due to return to Scotland in early autumn.