The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway have announced that steam locomotive Taff Vale No.85 will be visiting the railway for their annual steam gala.

The heritage railway will be holding their annual steam gala over the weekend of 14th – 16th September 2018.

85 visits thanks to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The visit is also thanks to the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway, who currently have No.85 on loan from the KWVR.

It is 91 years since 85 left Wales. It will be great to see it in its home country once again.

A brief history of Taff Vale 85

Completed by Neilson, Reid & Co. in 1899, No.85 was one of nine O2 class locos built for the Taff Valley Railway. In the 1923 Grouping, the Great Western Railway acquired thousands of loco, from several companies and of various design. The GWR, therefore, replaced or standardised locos from the pre-grouping. For No.85, this meant withdrawal in 1927.

This wasn’t the end for No.85, as in 1929 it was sold to a private company, Lambton, Hetton & Joicey Colliery Co. Here, No.85 was used for hauling coal trains in County Durham. Just as TVR was absorbed into the GWR, Lambton, Hetton & Joicey Colliery Co. was absorbed into the National Coal Board in 1947.

Working under the NCB, the loco was renumbered as No.52, No.85 worked until 1968. Once again, after a 2-year withdrawal, No.85 found a new lease of life, this time at the K&WVR.

Since then, No.85 has been restored and wears TVR livery. Its a popular member of the K&WVR home fleet, which played a part in the decision to overhaul the loco, which was completed in February 2016.

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