2023 events

[TRP]

Two in, two out at the WSR Spring Steam Spectacular (28 April - 1 May)

From the WSR Facebook page:

LOCOMOTIVE LINE UP CHANGES FOR SPRING STEAM SPECTACULAR
Our Spring Steam Spectacular is fast approaching, starting a week tomorrow. We have some updates for you regarding locomotive availability.
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of engineering staff at Minehead, repairs on no.7822 Foxcote Manor will not be complete in time for the locomotive to operate during this event. Whilst this means there will no longer be three operating Manors at this event, we are still able to operate our Evening Photographic Shoot with the three Manors lined up.
Additionally, following some problems with another of their locomotives, the Epping Ongar Railway have had to cancel the visit of no.4953 Pitchford Hall to this event to ensure they have cover for their own services.
Whilst we recognise that the above may be disappointing, it's not all bad news!
We are extremely grateful to our friends at the Severn Valley Railway for answering our desperate call for help early this week. We are delighted and extremely relieved to announce that visiting our Spring Steam Spectacular instead of no.4953 'Pitchford Hall' is SR West Country Pacific no.34027 'Taw Valley'! 'Taw Valley' has not visited the West Somerset Railway since the early 2000s and she will make a great sight in her new Southern Wartime Black livery running as no.21C127! This will be the first visit of the loco away from its home since her overhaul in 2015. No.34027 appears courtesy of Taw Valley Limited and Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) plc and we are so so grateful to them for helping us!
And that's not all the good news! Repair works have been completed on 94XX Pannier Tank no.9466 and she will feature at the Spring Steam Spectacular! The engine will work Goods and Local passenger trains. This event will be the engines' first public steamings for over 18 months. Thanks to the Mechanical Engineering Department for their hard work in getting no. 9466 into traffic. No. 9466 appears courtesy of WSR Chairman Jonathan Jones Pratt.
And as if that wasn't enough, the locomotive diagrams for the event have now been confirmed and are now uploaded onto our website. Please see the link below to view the diagrams, now you can start planning! - https://www.west-somerset-railway.co..../PTT_SSG_2023...
Tickets are still available at advanced discounted rates here - https://www.west-somerset-railway.co..../spring-steam...

Tony

[TRP]

A second visiting locomotive has been announced for the Mid Hants Railway's Steam gala (29 April-1 May) - GWR 5205 class 2-8-0T No.5239 'Goliath' from the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway.
https://watercressline.co.uk/special...pai+Steam+Gala

Tony

[TRP]

Details have started to appear on the Dean Forest Railway's website for their Spring Steam gala taking place on 20/21 May. The event has been named Panniers & Prairies and will be used to launch 57XX Pannier No.9681 back into traffic, working alongside fellow DFR resident 4575 class Prairie No.5541 & visiting 1366 class Pannier No.1369 from the South Devon Railway.
https://deanforestrailway.co.uk/expe...ng-steam-gala/

Tony

[TRP]

The Spa Valley Railway's Summer Steam Up (17/18 June) will now feature SE&CR O1 class 0-6-0 No.65, visiting from near neighbours, the Bluebell Railway, working alongside two other 0-6-0s - CR 812 class No.828 & Hunslet No.2890 - as well as ex-SR 'Battle of Britain' pacific No.34072 '257 Squadron'.
https://www.facebook.com/SpaValleyRailway/
https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/p...ummer-steam-up

No.65 will also feature in a new event the following weekend (24/25 June) - the Victorian Weekend will see the 1896-built O1 working alongside the Strathspey Railway's CR No.828, which was built in 1899.
https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/p...ing-secr-o1-65

Tony

[TRP]

A new addition to the list of events is the Statfold Barn Railway's 'Summer Spectacle of Steam' which is being held over the weekend of 10/11 June. No locomotives have yet been announced, but the website is teasing a very special visitor...

"Joining the resident locomotives at Statfold will be a very special visiting locomotive never seen in steam in the UK before!"

https://www.statfold.com/summerspectacleofsteam

Tony

[TRP]

Another new addition to the list in post#1, and it's only just over a week away!
The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway are holding a Mixed Traffic Gala on Sunday 7th & Monday 8th as part of their celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the reopening to Bolton Abbey.
Bagnall 0-6-0ST No.401 'Vulcan' is visiting from the North Tyneside Steam Railway and will be operating alongside members of the home fleet including Hunslet 0-6-0ST No.7 'Beatrice', Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST 'Cumbria', BR class 20 No.D8110 & BR class 37 No.37294.
https://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway...2MLQOX,3GWG7,1

Tony

[TRP]

I had missed the update for the Epping-Ongar Steam Gala - GWR 'Castle' 4-6-0 No.4079 'Pendennis Castle' will be joining the line up for the EOR's Steam Gala which runs from Friday 23rd-Sunday 25th June, and has a very Western theme. The 'Castle' joins fellow GWR locos 94XX 0-6-0PT 'Pannier' No.9466 (visiting from the WSR), 49XX 'Hall' 4-6-0 No.4953 'Pitchford Hall' & 4575 class 'Small Prairie' 2-6-2T No.5521 (in LT livery as L.150), plus Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST 'Isabel'.
https://www.eorailway.co.uk/events/steam-gala/

Tony

[TRP]

Full list of locomotives has been confirmed for the Severn Valley Railway's Spring Diesel Festival (18-21 May):

Visiting Locomotives: Class 20 No.20189; Class 31 No.31270; Class 37 No.37263; Class 47 No.47712 'Lady Diana Spencer'; Class 58 No.58023; Colas Rail class 56; DB Cargo class 60; DRS class 88; GWR HST 'Castle' set
Resident Locomotives: Class 17 No.D8568; Class 20 20048; Class 31 No.31466; Class 33 No.33108; Class 40 No.40106 'Atlantic Conveyor'; Class 42 No.D821 'Greyhound', Class 50 Nos.50007 'Hercules', 50035 'Ark Royal' & 50049 'Defiance'; Class 52 Nos.D1015 'Western Champion' & D1062 'Western Courier'.
https://svr.co.uk/event/spring-diesel-festival-2023/
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/05...y-railway.html
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/05...-festival.html

Tony

[TRP]

Update for next weekend's Diesel Gala at the Swanage Railway (12-14 May) - full list of the locomotives taking part are:
Visiting locomotives: Class 17 No.D8568, Class 40 No.D345, Class 45 No.45108, Class 47 No.47830, Class 50 No.50021 'Rodney', 2x GBRf class 73/1
Home fleet locos: Class 33 Nos.33012 & 33111, Class 50 No.50026 'Indomitable' (if 50021 is unavailable)
https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/eve...ew/diesel-gala

Tony

[TRP]

Update for the North Norfolk Railway's Mixed Traction Gala and Rails & Ales (9-11 June) - the first visiting locomotive has been announced as BR class 14 No.D9537 'Eric' (from the D9537 Loco Group / East Lancashire Railway); a second visitor is yet to be announced.
They will operate alongside home fleet locos: BR 4MT 2-6-0 No.76084, GER Y14 class 0-6-0 No.564, BR class 31 No.D5631, BR class 37 No.D6732, BR class 08 Nos.D3935 & D3940.
https://www.nnrailway.co.uk/mixed/

Tony