'Fives' make it four at Worth Valley

With two ‘Black Fives’, a ‘B1’ and a ‘Crab’, there will be a grand total of four visiting locomotives at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s Winter Steam Gala on March 3-5 – a record number for a KWVR gala.



Fresh from overhaul at Riley & Son (E) Ltd, ‘Black Five’ No. 45212 stands in Haworth yard following re-painting by Peter Whitaker and Tim Hanson (pictured) on October 4 2016. COLIN SMITH


Technically, there will be only three guest engines, as ‘Black Five’ No. 45212, currently under Ian Riley’s custodianship for the duration of its main line stint, is actually part of the KWVR fleet. The last time the Worth Valley line hosted so many engines was in June 2008 for its 40th anniversary event, when it welcomed ‘King Arthur’ No. 30777 Sir Lamiel, ‘K4’ No. 61994 The Great Marquess and Robinson ‘O4’ 2-8-0 No. 63601.

The Stanier 4-6-0 will be running alongside classmate and fellow visitor No. 45407. The ‘Black Fives’ join previously announced Thompson ‘B1’ No. 61264 (visiting courtesy of the Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust) and LMS Fowler-Hughes ‘Crab’ No. 13065, normally based at the East Lancashire Railway.

Members of the KWVR home fleet will complete the line-up as residents ‘WD’ 2-8-0 No. 90733, ‘4F’ No. 43924, USATC ‘S160’ No. 5820 ‘Big Jim’, LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054, Taff Vale Railway ‘O2’ No. 85 and Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No. 1704 are all expected to attend.

BR Standard ‘4MT’ 4-6-0 No. 75028 is also booked to attend, despite having failed on Boxing Day with a leaking superheater element. However, owning group Standard 4 Locomotive Preservation Society already has a set of replacement elements and the engine is expected to attend the gala.

The line’s Grafton Steam Crane will also be in steam and operating in Oakworth yard. For full details, visit: www.kwvr.co.uk/event/2017-winter-steam-gala/2017-03-03/.

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