‘P’ meets ‘S160s’ at Churnet Valley

Two extremes of steam power will be on show at the Churnet Valley Railway’s season‑opening enthusiast event on February 25/26, with a visiting SECR ‘P’ 0‑6‑0T, and the first pairing of double‑headed ‘S160’ 2‑8‑0s in Britain for over 70 years. The Bluebell Railway’s No. 323 is the guest for the Winter Steam Gala, working shuttle services over the CVR ‑ although it is not expected to venture up the steeply graded branch to Ipstones, whose leasehold was recently acquired from Moorland & City Railways (SR461). This stretch of 1‑in‑40 will be the domain of Greg Wilson’s ‘S160s’, Nos. 5197 and 6046 ‑ the latter having returned to the CVR on December 27 following its stint on the Telford Steam Railway’s ‘Polar Express’ trains. No. 5197 was expected to undertake its first running‑in trials on January 17, having passed its insurance steam test and gained its boiler certificate the previous Tuesday. This briefly gives the CVR three working resident steam locomotives for the first time in several years ‑ the third being Polish ‘TKh’ 0‑6‑0T No. 2944 ‘Hotspur’, which will also be running at the gala, although it is to be stopped immediately afterwards for a ‘bottom end’ overhaul. To provide a suitable test for the two US Army Transportation Corps 2‑8‑0s, the last train to Ipstones on both days of the event will consist of eight coaches double‑headed by the ‘S160s’, with No. 2944 on the rear. MPD Manager Chris Meadowcroft said: “This will be the first time that two ‘S160s’ have operated together in the UK since the 1940s.” Cover your ears… ‘S160s’ Nos. 6046 and 5197 emerged from Cheddleton shed on January 8 for the latter’s safety valves to be tested ahead of its insurance exam two days later.