THE North Norfolk Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on October 1-3 was the line’s most successful in four years, producing an upturn in passenger numbers not seen since the visit of ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado in 2013.
However, just one week before the event, the railway received the news the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s ‘WD’ 2-8-0 No. 90733 would not be able to attend owing to the unavailability of a police escort.
It had been hoped the ‘Dub-Dee’s’ visit would enable the railway to showcase the first preservation pairing of an ‘Austerity’ 2-8-0 and 2-10-0, but regrettably No. 90733’s absence meant this had to be postponed.
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An 11th-hour replacement was found in the form of the SVR Pannier Tank Fund’s ‘57XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 7714, which proved to be quite a draw in its own right.
Also visiting for the gala was West Somerset Railway-based ‘7F’ 2-8-0 No. 53809, courtesy of its owner John Moorhouse.
Read more in October’s issue of The RM – on sale now!
