USATC No. 2253 ‘Omaha’ and LMS No. 41312 will join the line up for the upcoming Autumn Steam Gala at the Severn Valley Railway.
The gala is set to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of ‘the big four’ and will take place between the 14th and 17th September.
2253 Omaha will visit thanks to Peter Best and the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company.
It is set to be a crowd puller, with a varied history, the locomotive was built in America in 1943 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works and was shipped to Britain as part of the war effort.
The fourth and final guest locomotive will be 41312, visiting thanks to the Mid Hants Railway.
These visitors join 61306 Mayflower and 401 Vulcan as the visiting line up, joining the homefleet of 43106, 4930 Hagley Hall, 7714, 21C127 Taw Valley, 75069 and others.
The event is also set to feature local trains stopping at Eardington for the first time in 40 years, as well as goods trains and a recreation of the reopening train with 43106.
The SVR expects to release the timetable for the four-day event tomorrow, Friday 25th September.
For more details and to book tickets please visit svr.co.uk
“The history of this locomotive is fascinating,” said Duncan Ballard, the SVR’s head of steam engineering. “We’re very grateful to its owner Peter Best and the Dartmouth Steam Railway and Riverboat Company for allowing it to appear at our Gala.
“Peter brought it back from Poland to start its life in preservation more than 30 years ago. He named it ‘Omaha’ in 2019, to commemorate the part played by US troops in the D Day beach landings in 1944, as well as by his own father, an RAF officer, who was awarded the Military Cross for his part in the Omaha operation. It will be an honour to host the first ever visit of this type of locomotive at our event.”
“We’re grateful to the Watercress Line for the appearance of 41312 at our event,” added Duncan Ballard. “It’s one of just four that now remain in preservation, and the visit is particularly poignant as our own Ivatt 4 43106 is having its swansong at the Gala. The class got the nickname of ‘Mickey Mouse’ tanks because of the route indicator discs that were placed on either side of the smokebox, giving it the appearance of mouse ears! It’s going to prove a popular addition to what is truly a superb line-up for our autumn event.”
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