‘MAYFLOWER’ IS BACK – AND LOOKING FORWARD TO ’70S‑STYLE PAIRING IN MAY

All being well, refurbished ‘B1’ No. 61306 ‘Mayflower’ should take up residence at Southall from March 4, ready to haul Steam Dreams’ trains from the 7th.

Owner David Buck announced himself a “very happy man” after a renewed trial trip from Carnforth on January 24 and a shortnotice appearance with British India Line on February 2 (see left).

“We’d done our second test run only days before – and I thought, ‘right, here’s our opportunity’.”

Although the Thompson engine – which David describes as “100% in every respect” – looks as it did before its strip-down at the former 10A, there is some change behind the glossy new paintwork. David reports that No. 61306 now has a self-cleaning smokebox, which “works beautifully and will save us a lot of time and effort on servicing.”

Although David owns both the 4-6-0 and Steam Dreams, the first run was actually with a Railway Touring Company train.

“The locomotive is available for hire to anybody,” says David. “There was never any suggestion that I’d keep it purely for Steam Dreams’ work – it’s got to earn its keep. We have a good working relationship with RTC and we wanted to get some miles on ‘Mayflower’, so I’m grateful to Kelly [Osborne, RTC] and David Smith [West Coast Railways] for facilitating that.

“It’s the culmination of three years’ blood, sweat and tears,” continues the proud owner about the most recent history of his North British engine. “She’s absolutely wonderful.”

Planned forthcoming appearances include double-heading with Flying Scotsman on the Steam Dreams ‘Highlands and Islands’ multi-day tour in May – raising memories of a pairing back in 1977, when both engines were Apple green. Day one (May 9) involves the pairing head from York to Edinburgh, before day two takes the LNER-design engines on to Inverness. “That’s what I’m looking forward to,” says David.