* Pannier Tank engine No. 7714 will be a star of the railway's Autumn Steam Gala.
Llangollen
Railway has signed up a second venerable guest engine for its popular Autumn
Steam Gala.
Already
booked to appear at the three-day event, which runs over the weekend of October
12, 13 and 14, was the former Royal Train engine BR Ivatt 2MT No. 46521, courtesy of the Great
Central Railway.
But organisers have now also managed to secure an appearance by the
pannier tank engine No. 7714 away from its usual home at the Severn Valley
heritage railway.
Built for
the Great Western Railway, these pannier tanks were regularly used on
local freight and passenger workings.
No.7714
is an old friend of Llangollen Railway, having been based at Birkenhead from
1937 until 1958 before moving briefly to Wrexham's Rhosddu shed prior to
withdrawal.
This
interesting old engine will be starring
alongside another visiting 'local loco', Ivatt No. 46521.
A
one-time hauler of the Royal Train, this locomotive spent almost its
entire working life in Wales and was allocated to Oswestry, Brecon and
Machynlleth steam sheds during its career.
No. 46521 was also regular sight around Barmouth during the 1950s and
1960s, working trains along the Cambrian Coast route and the regular shuttle
service up the Mawddach estuary to Dolgellau.
Llangollen Railway’s ‘Along Cambrian Lines 2‘
gala will be a celebration of the much-loved trains heading for the
seaside during the 1950s and early 1960s.
The visiting locomotives will be supported by members of the
Llangollen’s home fleet, recreating many of the authentic sights and
sounds of the era.
Attractions for the weekend include:
* Interactive activities for
all the family, including ‘Make your
own Luggage Labels‘.
*
A display of entries for
the railway’s 2018 ‘Steam Trains to
the Seaside‘ children’s poster competition.
·
Intensive timetable over
all three days.
·
Full line and local
services to-ing and fro-ing.
*
Demonstration goods and
parcel loading at Berwyn station
A special
exhibition telling the story of some of the viaducts, road bridges and
station buildings along the line will be running in the Henry
Robertson suite at Llangollen Station throughout the gala weekend.
The full working timetable
will be available free of charge to holders of travel
tickets for the event from all the booking offices at the railway
while stocks last.