New resident ‘first’ at Blaenavon’s biggest-ever September steam gala
A LOCOMOTIVE which has never hauled a public passenger train has joined the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway fleet.
Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No. 1857 of 1952 will also appear in the line’s September 9-11 annual steam gala, along with five other locomotives – making it the biggest event of its type ever staged there.
No. 1857 was built for the National Coal Board and was employed at NCB Gawber Colliery at Barnsley. It remained there until closure in 1987, following a merger with nearby Woolley Colliery.
It was first preserved by the Coventry Steam Railway Centre, which was started in 1986. It spent several years on the Swindon and Cricklade Railway and completed a heavy overhaul by Ryan Pope and his team at Williton shed on the West
Somerset Railway, where it returned to steam in April.
No. 1857 arrived at Blaenavon on August 8 and began testing and running in shortly afterwards, in readiness for hauling its historic first passenger train at the gala.
A deal has also been agreed with owners Martin and Nicola Atkins for the locomotive to remain at Blaenavon for the foreseeable future.
It will run alongside fellow guest GWR pannier No. 7714 from the Severn Valley Railway.
Built in 1930, No. 7714 spent most of its working life at Birkenhead. Withdrawn from main line duties in 1959, it sold to the National Coal Board for further use at Penallta Colliery near Ystrad Mynach in Glamorgan, just 10 miles away from Blaenavon.
Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST No.3839 of 1956 Wimblebury, which has been on loan from the Foxfield Railway for much of this year, will be joined by Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 1385 of 1914 Rosyth No.1, Hunslet 0-6-0ST No. 1873 of 1937 Jessie and Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 1219 of 1910 Caledonian Works, from the WSR.
An extensive timetable includes all available locomotives, with trains running from 10.30am to 4.30pm each day. There will be demonstration freight services and Saturday evening runs, including a fish and chip special and a sunset beer excursion. Both the railway’s GWR saloons will be in traffic.