The Brighton Atlantic project and the Bluebell Railway have announced the launch date for the new build H2 locomotive No. 32424 Beachy Head.
The launch date is set for Friday 23 August, which will be the first day of a ten day festival running until Sunday 1 September.
Additional information and tickets for the event will be released in the coming days, once everything has been finalised.
The project was started when a former Great Northern Atlantic boiler came up for sale in the late 90s. In October 2000, the Brighton Atlantic project was launched with the view of using the GN Atlantic boiler on a new build Brighton Atlantic.
The project has now almost come to completion with 32424 moving for the first time under its own power on Thursday 6 June, when preliminary runs up and down the locomotive yard were undertaken, making it the first Brighton Atlantic to run in Britain since 1958.
On Friday 7 June, it took its first foray into Sheffield Park station for gauging between the platforms, much to the delight of the station staff who were on duty that day.
At the time of writing, the Brighton Atlantic is being prepared for its final coat of paint, before it emerges once more to undertake test runs before its official public launch on Friday 23 August.
Following several other completed builds in preservation, such as A1 Tornado, GWR mogul 9351, 2999 Lady of Legend, and 6880 Betton Grange (the latter being launched into service nearly 3 weeks ago), Beachy Head will become the newest steam locomotive in Britain once it is officially launched into service.
Everyone involved in this project has made for an extraordinary achievement in engineering and the history of railway preservation.
No doubt when the pioneers of railway preservation set up the Bluebell Railway in 1960, they would never have believed that a LBSCR March Brighton Atlantic, regarded by many as the pinnacle of design of the LBSCR, would one day be based on the Bluebell Railway.
Responses
Looking at the roster for this month, a powerful “home fleet” machine can’t come quickly enough. It’s ironic Earl of Berkley is on holiday at ABH, it’s former shed. Perhaps those in the know were worried that, with all those visiting GW locos, the old Dukedog might be tempted to stage a coup?
Shame the drawings for the Billinton ‘K’ have gone walkabout. Now forever on the “one thay got away” list, but the H2 is back from the dead and I really hope I get to see 32424 strolling up the line with six on for myself. What a truly magnificent achievement!
Fantastic news thankyou to the Beechy Head Team keep up the excellent work all the best Parham Azima Steam Buff.
I think “she” was described as “a grand old lady” by the local Surrey newspaper making her swan song through Guildford. I saw her and the others in the Fifty’s prior to withdrawal.
Now she is resurrected I’m inspired to try and find the newspaper cutting somewhere in the attic within a scrap book!!
Brilliant! Be good to see a full sized one!
Wonderful, what an achievement, and what a handsome locomotive! All those responsible are to be congratulated!
Well done it is very good we have an Atlantic back on the rails.