Eight lucky participants will have the opportunity to drive and fire the magnificent LMS Jubilee No 45596 Bahamas when it visits the Severn Valley Railway for the annual Autumn Steam Gala.
On Friday, August 30, ahead of the gala event, a very special footplate experience day will take place with the visiting locomotive on its first day of operation at the SVR for more than 30 years. Participants will work in pairs to drive and fire the loco for 16 miles, with detailed instructions from the experienced SVR crew. They’ll be hauling a heavy rake of carriages, and each participant will be able to bring up to 10 guests to travel on the train as part of their experience package.
“We have had to put a strict limit on places for this amazing experience,” said Lewis Maddox, the SVR’s visitor engagement manager, “because we’ve only got this one day’s capacity. We expect a swift take up of the offer, and all participants, along with their guest passengers, will be guaranteed an unforgettable day!
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“Very few of the Jubilee class still survive, and ‘Bahamas’ is rather special as it’s the only one which boasts a double chimney.”
The SVR has seen an eager take-up of footplate experiences this year, and has sold out its bronze level slots, with just one or two places remaining for its silver and gold level days. However, the good news is that dates for 2025 steam footplate experiences are now on sale. All available footplate experiences can be booked at svr.co.uk. Diesel footplate experiences have sold out for this year, and the SVR expects to release 2025 dates soon.
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