The visit of Ivatt tank locomotive No. 41313 to the Spa Valley Railway at Tunbridge Wells in Kent has been extended by one week so that it will be operating services this weekend, Saturday, 1st and Sunday, 2nd July.

Thanks to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, 41313 came to the Spa Valley Railway as a guest locomotive for its ‘Southern Steam Up’ event on 17th and 18th of June, which was the first time the locomotive had left the Isle of Wight since it underwent restoration and returned to steam in 2017.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway has agreed that it can stay at the Spa Valley Railway for one last weekend before it returns across the Solent.

Services on the Spa Valley Railway travel for five miles between Tunbridge Wells West and Eridge, and tickets allow passengers to hop on and off trains so that they can explore the areas around the stations along the line, including the picturesque and historic village of Groombridge.

As well as its normal services, the railway runs special events, and those operating tomorrow, Saturday, 1st July, include:

• Dining Trains, for which tickets must be booked in advance.

• Fish & Chip Lunch Train, where guests can enjoy a lunchtime meal of traditional fish & chips on board a steam train. Tickets for this train cost £25 per adult or £20 per child, which includes the meal and train journey, and must be booked in advance.
• The Kent Gin Train is the home of the original Gin Tasting Experience on a steam train. During the journey guests can sample three different gins from local distilleries which will be served with canapes. Tickets for this train cost £35 per adult and must be booked in advance.

Full details of all the railway’s events are available online at www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk