Spa Valley winter visitors

[TRP]

The Spa Valley Railway is expecting 2 visiting steam locos this winter, and have just received a new resident BR diesel.

Port Talbot Railway 0-6-0ST No.813 from the Severn Valley Railway is expected to be the main loco for the Santa trains throughout December and it will be joined by Hunslet 0-6-0ST 'Ring Haw' from the North Norfolk Railway for a special weekend of intensive running over 29/30 December. For this weekend, both of these visiting steam locos will be in action alongside recently arrived class 31 No.31430 'Sister Dora'.
'Ring Haw' is then set to remain at Tunbridge Wells West for the 2019 season and it is the loco's second visit to the Spa Valley, having previously spent part of the summer of 2017 on the line.
No.813 is making it's first visit to the Spa Valley but it is the 3rd visit to Kent & Sussex in the last 12 months, having spent December 2017 at the Kent & East Sussex Railway and then visited the Bluebell in May this year.
'Sister Dora' arrived at Tunbridge Wells West 2 weeks ago - it is owned by one of the Spa Valley's volunteers and will be resident at Tunbridge Wells for the foreseeable future.

Tony

[TRP]

Another steam loco has just arrived at Tunbridge Wells, but this one is in need of restoration.
Hunslet 0-6-0ST 'Newstead' (W/No.1589/1929) has arrived from the Nene Valley Railway for the completion of restoration. This will be undertaken by the team which is currently overhauling Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST 'Lady Ingrid' (2315/1951) - they will start on 'Newstead' once 'Lady Ingrid' is completed, which should hopefully be next year.

Tony