Southern Locomotives Ltd have confirmed that No. 34072 ‘257 Squadron’ is to visit the East Lancashire Railway to boost locomotive availability in 2023.

The locomotive is expected to arrive at the East Lancashire Railway soon after the Spa Valley Railway’s Summer Steam Up in June 2023 and is 30 years since its first visit to the popular heritage railway.

34092 ‘City Of Wells’, sister locomotive to 34072, is to undergo an overhaul this year, so 257 Squadron is a natural replacement.

It is hoped that 34092 will be back in service in time for 34092 and 34072 to haul trains alongside each other.

RailAdvent last caught up with 34072 ‘257 Squadron’ back in January 2022 when the locomotive visited the Great Central Railway for their 2022 Winter Steam Gala. We produced a 3 Disc DVD set with more than 2 hours of footage – click here to watch a trailer find out more information.

What do you think of the visit? Let us know in the comments below.