4555 returning to Buckfastleigh after almost half a century

THE pioneering locomotive that launched heritage operations on the former Ashburton branch is returning to the line it once called home when it visits the South Devon Railway (SDR) next month.

Newly overhauled GWR ‘flattop’ Small Prairie No. 4555 will visit Buckfastleigh for the Spring Steam Gala on March 14-15, reuniting with ex-GWR panniers Nos. 6412 and 1369 for the first time in 47 years, when together they kick-started operations on the fledgling Dart Valley Railway.

No. 4555 has recently been the subject of a major overhaul at the Dartmouth Steam

Railway and Tyseley Locomotive Works, and will be calling at the South Devon Railway on its way to a long-term hire at the East Somerset Railway.

Its return to the SDR offers the opportunity to re-create scenes from half a century ago when the ‘45XX’ hauled the official Dart Valley Railway (DVR) opening train in 1969.

The locomotive had in fact been a regular on the Ashburton branch under BR ownership and was acquired for preservation by the DVR in 1965, being the first locomotive to arrive on the newly preserved line.

In October 1972, the DVR bought the former Kingswear branch from Paignton to become the Torbay Steam Railway (later the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway), and No. 4555 was subsequently transferred to Paignton the following year.

It has not worked on any other heritage line since, having last run there in 2007, carrying the name Warrior.

During its visit to the SDR,

No. 4555 will share duties with Nos. 6412 and 1369, and ‘4575’ 2-6-2T No. 5526, operating an intensive passenger timetable between Buckfastleigh and Totnes Riverside, together with ‘auto-trains’ and goods services.

For more information see: www.southdevonrailway.co.uk The SDR will not be running a timetabled service over the February half-term holiday owing to winter track renewal work on a third-of-a-mile stretch between Staverton and Totnes. Instead diesel ‘Bubblecar’ No. W55000 will operate a limited shuttle service every 45 minutes each day from February 15 to 23 between Buckfastleigh and Staverton only. The first shuttle will depart Buckfastleigh at 10.30 and the last one at 15.25.