Marcus' Model Railway Journey

Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2 tank locomotive No 41313


More visiting locomotives for the gala will be announced in the coming weeks, but Severn Valley locomotives scheduled to appear include GWR No 813 0-6-0 Saddle Tank, GWR No. 4930 Hagley Hall, GWR 0-6-2 tank No. 7714, LMS Stanier Class 6P/5F 2-6-0 No. 13268, and BR Standard Class 4 4-6-0 No. 75069.

One locomotive expected to appear is the recently restored Great Western Railway (GWR) 2-6-2 Prairie Tank No 4150, provided it completes its final snagging work and testing.

This locomotive is expected to appear at a gala for the first time since preservation.

Its return to operational condition is significant because it is the last locomotive in Severn Valley Railway’s fleet to have been rescued from Dai Woodham’s scrapyard at Barry in South Wales and restored.

Although the gala is not till September, later this month, the Severn Valley Railway is stepping back to the 1940s with two weekends of wartime nostalgia.


“We’re delighted to announce our first guest locomotive for the Autumn Steam Gala so early in the planning process. No 41313 will be making history as the first locomotive from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway to visit the Severn Valley Railway, and we’re very grateful to our colleagues there for making this possible. “Combined with the anticipated gala debut of our newly restored Prairie tank GWR No 4150, and a strong home fleet line-up, 41313 is a fantastic addition to the event. We’re continuing to work hard behind the scenes on further guest locomotive arrangements and hope to be able to share more exciting news with enthusiasts very soon.”

Gus Dunster, Chief Executive Officer, Severn Valley Railway

10th June, 2026

Europhoenix Rail locomotive appearance at Yorkshire gala cancelled​

37218


Later this month, on the 18th-21st June, the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is hosting their summer Diesel Gala, with special railtours running to the event.

Originally, both 37218 and 37407 were planned to attend courtesy of Europhoenix Rail; however, Europhoenix ceased trading earlier this week.

The railway has been working away behind the scenes and can confirm that 37218 will still appear, thanks to Hanson & Hall.

The railway has expressed immense gratitude to Europhoenix Rail for their support and friendship, which helped the gala to go ahead.


The costs of the changes to the planned movements mean that 37407 will not appear, and thus locomotive allocations will likely change.

Further information on locomotives in attendance, tickets and timetables can be found on their website.

Lumo East Coast electric train

10th June, 2026

Class 37 haulage on rail tour to Stratford-on-Avon​

Class 37 haulage on a Retro Railtours tour


For the first time in five years, Retro Railtours is running a rail tour hauled by an English Electric Class 37.

Two Class 37s have been requested as haulage for the “Retro Cestrian Bard” on Saturday 22nd August, which will depart from Stalybridge at 7 am to Stratford-on-Avon.

Unusually, the train will pick up at Reddish South, which is normally only served by one train a week on Parliamentary Northern Rail service, then stop to pick up at Stockport, Altrincham, Knutsford, Northwich, and Chester, with an arrival in Stratford-on-Avon at 11.30 am.

After a three-hour break at Stratford-on-Avon, the tour will return via Worcester and Hereford along a line that nowadays sees very few loco-hauled trains, and the Marches, with an arrival back at Stalybridge at 9.20 pm.


Refreshments on board will be available from a buffet serving hot and cold snacks, and a ‘Real Ale Bar’ will serve a variety of hand-pumped Real Ales, wines and hot snacks.

Both First and Class accommodation, tickets can be booked online at www.retrorailtours.co.uk.

Other rail tours running to Stratford-on-Avon this year include the regular Shakespeare Express, operated by Vintage Trains.

Last year, Vintage Trains won the Heritage Railway Association’s Manisty Award for Excellence, which is named after preservation pioneer Captain Peter Manisty, and a Silver award in the West Midlands Tourism Awards’ ‘Experience of the Year’ category for its Shakespeare Express service.

10th June, 2026

Steam locomotive 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe to visit Newcastle​

5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe will head to Newcastle this Friday, 12th June 2026.

Departing Birmingham New Street at 06:30, the train will head to Newcastle via Coleshill Parkway (06:47), Tamworth (07:36), Burton-on-Trent (07:55), Derby (08:14), Chesterfield (08:46), Pontefract Baghill (09:39), York (10:48), Northallerton (11:59) and Newcastle at 12:57.

After time in Newcastle, 5043 will head back to Birmingham. Departing Newcastle at 16:40, it will head back to the Midlands via Durham (17:21), Darlington (17:47), York (18:46), Swinton (South Yorks) (20:20), Derby (21:20), Burton-on-Trent (21:58), Tamworth (22:15), Coleshill Parkway (22:36) and Birmingham New Street (22:58).

10th June, 2026

Leighton Buzzard Railway’s Diesel Gala a success​

A gang of original Leighton Buzzard Light Railway locomotives on the Sand Train


The Leighton Buzzard Railway staged its annual Diesel Gala on Sunday 7 June, bringing a range of historic diesel locomotives into operation alongside the line’s regular main-line fleet.

Among the highlights was a rare end-to-end run by the 44hp Fire Engine ‘Ruston’, built in 1939 as part of the Ministry of Defence Fire Train at MoD Chilmark.

Visitors also saw the 1938 20hp Simplex ‘Caravan’ traverse the full railway, its cab recently repainted in its original green livery.

The Chilmark Fire Train 44hp Flameproof Ruston


Additional diesel traction from the railway’s collection operated on the demonstration line at Stonehenge Works, including the protected First World War-era Simplex locomotive 3098, on loan from the National Railway Museum.

A recreation of the sand trains that prompted the construction of the railway in 1919 also ran several times during the event.


Fundraising efforts were supported by ‘Driver for a Fiver’ experiences aboard the locomotive ‘Beaudesert’, a diesel locomotive formerly used during Channel Tunnel construction.

Proceeds are helping fund the return to steam of the railway’s long-serving Orenstein & Koppel locomotive P.C. Allen.

Attention now turns to upcoming events.

On Father’s Day, Sunday 21 June, fathers will be offered a complimentary footplate ride on ‘Chaloner’, the railway’s vertical-boiler steam locomotive built by de Winton at Caernarfon in 1877.

A Vintage Vehicle Rally follows on Sunday, 28 June, with a two-train service operating alongside displays of classic cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles.

Preparations are also underway for a dinosaur-themed day to enjoy on 19 July.

Minffordd Station, Ffestiniog Railway