Special guest for steam rally
The Severn Valley Railway has revealed a second VIP guest locomotive for its Steam Gala from September 16-19
The ex-British Railways, Western Region 94XX Pannier Tank No 9466 will rub shoulders with LMS 6233 Duchess of Sutherland, as the visiting locos take centre stage, supported by an array of engines from the railway’s home fleet.
The news comes just days after the railway announced that it will return to offering flexible tickets to passengers from September 7. These will replace the fixed excursion tours which the SVR has been operating since it reopened after the first lockdown in August 2020. The changes will also apply to the forthcoming Steam and Diesel Galas, when visitors will be free to choose which services they travel on throughout the day.
“We’re really pleased to have 9466 joining us in September,” said Helen Smith, the SVR’s general manager. “There are only two of its type in preservation, and this one is a regular out on the main line, hauling railtours. As well as making solo trips, it will be double-heading with our own pannier tank engine GWR 1501 and we know it’s going to be a big draw for Gala visitors.
“The fact that we’ve been able to switch to flexible day rover tickets for the Autumn Steam Gala is great news for our visitors, and we were delighted to announce the change earlier this week. To facilitate social distancing, we’ll still put a cap on the number of tickets we sell, and we strongly advise people to pre-book.”
Tickets for the Autumn Steam Gala are available at www.svr.co.uk.
