The Great Central Railway, and the Cromwell Facebook page, have announced that Britannia class No. 70013 ‘Oliver Cromwell’ has passed its boiler extension tests.

The locomotive, which had run out of ticket at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway during their Spring Steam Gala, now has an extension which sees the locomotive able to run on heritage railways (only) until 31st December 2018.

A little history of Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell was built in May 1951. It is most notable for hauling a section of the last steam hauled service under British Railways in 1968. Saved for preservation by the National Railway Museum and placed in the national collection, most of 70013’s preserved life has been spent inside Bressingham Steam & Gardens as a static display. However, in 2004, it was decided to bring this locomotive back to life again. Since returning has been based at the Great Central Railway. Here, it is maintained and run when it isn’t on the mainline or visiting other heritage railways.

Cromwell is now rostered to be hauling passenger services this weekend (24/25th March 2018) on the Great Central Railway, which runs from Loughborough to a Leceister North.

We spent the day with Oliver Cromwell during a recent photo charter. More information on that is available by clicking here

It is brilliant to see the locomotive back in steam, hopefully, we will see her again before her boiler ticket runs out.

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