‘COAL TANK’ FOR SVR GALA AS ‘4MT’ ENTERS THE FRAY
LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054 has joined the Severn Valley Railway’s Spring Steam Gala on March 15-17, which has developed a distinct Welsh theme.
The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway-based Webb 0-6-2T, which famously piloted the last train over the Heads of the Valleys line from Abergavenny to Merthyr in 1958, will run alongside a trio of visiting GWR tank engines that also once worked in Wales.
Former Tondu ‘Large Prairie’ No. 4144 is making its first appearance away from Didcot Railway Centre since its latest overhaul was completed in 2015; while the Telford Steam Railway’s ‘56XX’ 0-6-2T No. 5619 and ‘64XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 6430 from Llangollen are also former Welsh Valleys machines.
From the resident fleet, a new highlight will be the first gala appearance by BR ‘4MT’ 4-6-0 No. 75069, which hauled its first passenger trains for almost 25 years on February 16/17 (see story above).
The SVR had not originally intended to run the ‘Standard 4’ at the gala – but, explains Events Coordinator Lewis Maddox: “It was added when ‘14XX’
No. 1450 became a question mark due to ongoing work [see separate story] but thankfully this should be in service now anyway.”
Provided the valve and piston work on the Collett autotank is indeed completed in time, it is planned to operate two autotrains with it and No. 6430.
The SVR will also field pannier tanks Nos. 1501 and 7714, Churchward ‘28XX’ 2-8-0 No. 2857, ‘Manor’ 4-6-0 No. 7802 Bradley Manor and Port Talbot Railway 0-6-0ST No. 813 from the home-based fleet.