Impromptu ‘gala’ brings in the crowds

Sam Hewitt

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15th March 2019

By Paul Appleton

THE first day of the Severn Valley Railway’s 2019 operating season, February 16, had the air of a gala event, with former BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75069 making its public debut on the 10.30am ex-Bridgnorth and the first train off Kidderminster double-headed by GWR/PTR 0-6-0ST No. 813 and Collett 0-6-0PT No. 7714.

Ex-PTR/GWR 0-6-0ST No. 813 and Collett 0-6-0PT No. 7714 head the Severn Valley Railway’s first train of the season – the 10am ex-Kidderminster – into Hampton Loade, where they crossed newly overhauled No. 75069 at the head of its first public train on February 16. PAUL APPLETON

A third train was headed by Churchward 2-8-0 No. 2857, giving four locomotives in steam on service trains, probably the largest number on that day anywhere in the UK, if not the world.

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