Mayflower joins Tornado at Nene Valley gala

A pair of Apple Green LNER locomotives will be running together at the Nene Valley Railway’s ‘Tornado 10’ event on May 5-7, as ‘B1’ No. 61306 ‘Mayflower’ has been confirmed to attend.


‘B1’ No. 61306 'Mayflower' powers towards Wandsworth Town at the head of the November 26 2015 tour from London Victoria to Minehead. IAN DOCWRA

The gala, which celebrates the tenth anniversary of new-build ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado, will mark the Thompson 4-6-0’s first visit to a preserved railway since its return from overhaul. It is also planned to double-head ‘Mayflower’ and Tornado at the event.

It will be a welcome return to Wansford for No. 61306; the locomotive was based at the NVR for the majority of the 1990s and 2000s under the ownership of Gerald Boden.

‘Mayflower’ is the latest high-profile guest locomotive to visit the NVR during the last 12 months, and follows in the footsteps of ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34053 Sir Keith Park, rebuilt ‘7P’ No. 46100 Royal Scot, ‘A4’ No. 60009 Union of South Africa, GWR ‘14XX’ No. 1450 and BR ‘2MT’ No. 78018.

The Nene Valley Railway is just one of five preserved railways Tornado will be gracing during the first half of 2018, including the North Yorkshire Moors, East Lancashire and Bluebell railways (see separate story).

For more information, visit: www.nvr.org.uk/events/tornado-10.

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