West Somerset Railway - 'SPRING STEAM GALA' (35th Anniversary since Re-Opening) 19/03/2011

It's 35 years since the West Somerset Railway first opened as a preserved railway. Back then, the only locos that ran on it were a GWR 6400-class 0-6-0PT and a couple of Industrials. Now it's one of the UK's premier preserved railways with many big-named locomotives visiting for gala events. The WSR's 'Spring Steam Gala' held over the 19th/20th and 24th-27th March 2011 had the 35th Anniversary as its theme. Many of the past WSR's are either not in service or are no longer at the railway, so classmates had to be brought in including the Llangollen Railway's GWR 6400-class 0-6-0PT No.6430 (the WSR used to own classmate No.6412 before it was sold to the South Devon Railway in 2007) and the Severn Valley Railway's GWR 7800-class 'Manor' 4-6-0 No.7812 "Erlestoke Manor" (classmate to Nos.7820 "Dinmore Manor" and 7828 "Odney Manor"). Amazingly, this was the first time that "Erlestoke Manor" has worked away from the Severn Valley. It had been on the line since February, although sadly, the loco failed on the morning of the 20th and took no further part in the event. It's place for the remainder of the gala was taken by WSR 9351-class 2-6-0 No.9351 (a former 5101-class 'Large Prairie' 2-6-2T No.5193 before the WSR converted it into a 9300-class 2-6-0). The main star attraction however was the return of BR 'Britannia'-class 4-6-2 No.70000 "Britannia" following an extensive overhaul at Crewe. This was the pioneering BR 'Standard' and it was displayed in its test-livery of BR unlined black. It carried this livery before it was finally painted green for its naming in 1951 (this means its also celebrating its 60th Anniversary). "Britannia" has visited the WSR befor at the head of an excursion and was due to appear at a gala but failed, meaning it remained idle throughout that event. The other two visitors were SR N15-class 'King Arthur' 4-6-0 No.30777 "Sir Lamiel" (from the Great Central Railway) and GWR 2800-class 2-8-0 No.2807 (from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway). Both locos were making their first appearances at the WSR. The rest of the roster was made up of the Home Fleet. There were however a number of absences from the event. LMSR 'Princess Royal'-class 4-6-2 No.6201 "Princess Elizabeth" and GWR 4575-class 'Small Prairie' 2-6-2T No.5521 were both dropped from the event due to neither being available. SR rebuilt 'West Country'-class 4-6-2 No.34046 "Braunton" was still undergoing repairs at Williton and was not ready in time. It's place throughout the second weekend was taken by GWR 6000-class 'King' 4-6-0 No.6024 "King Edward I". Finally, 'Peckett' 0-4-0ST No.1788 "Kilmersdon's" boiler certificate expired before the event and was withdrawn for overhaul. This footage is from Saturday 19th March 2011. Locomotives in action at the gala were... - BR 'Britannia' 4-6-2 No.70000 "Britannia" (making its public debut following overhaul) - SR N15-class 'King Arthur' 4-6-0 No.30777 "Sir Lamiel" (visiting from the Great Central Railway) - GWR 7800-class 'Manor' 4-6-0 No.7812 "Erlestoke Manor" (visiting from the Severn Valley Railway) - GWR 2800-class 2-8-0 No.2807 (visiting from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway) - GWR 6400-class 0-6-0PT No.6430 + Autocoach No.167 (visiting from the Llangollen Railway) - Not featured in this video - GWR 4575-class 2-6-2T No.5553 - BR(W) 5101-class 2-6-2T No.4160 - WSR 9300-class 2-6-0 No.9351 - Not featured in this video - SDJR 7F-class 2-8-0 No.88