Standard stand-in for West Somerset gala

British Railways Standard ‘4MT’ No. 75014 ‘Braveheart’ will be the special guest locomotive at the West Somerset Railway’s ‘Autumn Steam Gala’ on October 5-8.


BR Standard ‘4MT’ No. 75014, star of the West Somerset Railway’s forthcoming ‘Autumn Steam Gala’ on October 5-8, leaves Paignton during its official re-launch into traffic on March 22. TOBY JENNINGS/SR

The Riddles-designed 4-6-0 stands in for ‘5MT’ No. 73082 Camelot, which had to withdraw from the event as the 73082 Camelot Locomotive Society was “not able to complete the arrangements in good time prior to the departure of the locomotive at the beginning of next month.”

It is hoped the Bluebell Railway-based Standard Five will be available to visit the WSR sometime next year.

‘Braveheart’, resident at the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway, will be only the second Standard Four to grace the Bishops Lydeard-Minehead line, the first being No. 75069 in 1994. The locomotive will be joined by visiting ‘57XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 7714, courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway.

Eight other steam locomotives will be in action at the four-day event: ‘Manors’ Nos. 7820 Dinmore Manor and 7822 Foxcote Manor, ‘Modified Hall’ No. 6960 Raveningham Hall, S&DJR ‘7Fs’ Nos. 53808 and 53809, LMS ‘4F’ No. 44422, Peckett 0-4-0ST Works No. 1788 Kilmersdon and Barclay 0-4-0ST Works No. 1219 Caledonia Works.

Tickets for the WSR ‘Autumn Steam Gala’ can be purchased 01643 704996 or www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk.

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