The South Devon Railway has announced that steam locomotive 1501 will be visiting them in 2019.

The Great Western Railway 0-6-0 Pannier tank will be visiting the railway for their 50th Anniversary gala between 6th and 14th April 2019.

The locomotive is appearing courtesy of the 1501 Pannier Tank Association and the Severn Valley Railway.

This will be 1501’s first visit to the South Devon Railway.

A brief history of 1501

1501 was built by GWR in 1949 at BRs Swindon Works and entered service at Old Oak Common. Modernisation by BR saw the 1500 class being replaced by diesel shunters, and in 1961, 1501 was withdrawn by British Railways. In 1961, 1501 was sold to the National Coal Board and was towed by rail to the Andrew Barclay works at Kilmarnock for repairs, after which, 1501 worked in the NCB sidings and on the branch line to Coventry at Three Spires Junction. However, in 1969, 1501 was once again replaced by diesel shunters.

1501 was picked for preservation by the Severn Valley Railway in 1969 and returned to steam in 1997 at the SVR. Since then, it has hauled a number of passenger trains and visited a variety of railways, when removed from service in 2006, it became one of the first locomotives to move to the Engine House at Highley, however, was picked for overhaul again, returning to steam in 2012.

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