ELR Legends of Steam 2026

I see 60163 Tornado has been announced as the 1st visitor for the ELR Legends of Steam gala in April 2026 (making up for WCRC pulling it in 2025)

 

Its april 2026

 

Sorry!!

 

Not as close or clashing with kwvr gala as it has done in previous years although doubt tornado will be going to worth valley anyway

 

34070 "Manston" announced courtesy of Swanage Railway - double Spamcans on the horizon again with 34092 "City of Wells" - subject to completion of winter maintenance

34081 of course, before anyone enquires, is out of traffic awaiting overhaul

 

60163 officially announced via FB and webpage

34092 and 11456 also due to run

 

Timetable now available 2026 Legends of Steam Public TT

 

Spam sandwich on Friday morning LOL!

 

If anyone wants a ticket for the brake van trip on the Friday behind Tornado please contact me, I can’t get there early enough due to TransPennine diversions, ticket value £25 make me a offer if interested

Neil

 

Anyone in the know, are the visitors both facing Rawtenstall, thanks?

 

I think 60163 is. It ran LE back to Miles Platting to turn.

 

Pictures on social media show 60163 facing Rawtenstall. Not sure about Manston, but as they are double heading with Wells, and they have got the facilities to unload from road transport in either direction, it should be facing towards Rawtenstall.

 

Only one double headed spamcan, Saturday evening, Friday is top and tail. Wouldn't actually mind if 34070 had faced Heywood, makes for some different shots.

 

09:30 Bury to Rawtenstall Friday morning is double-headed, T’n’T on return back to Bury according to timetable on ELR gala website

 

Footbridge at Ramsbottom out of use broken step
Also photos of the double headed spam cans
https://railway-photography.smugmug...Steam-gala-Friday-10rh-April-2026/i-Bk7G6dC/A

 

Good weather and timetable ran to time. Busy, but seats readily available. A good day. 34092 leaves Irwell Vale.

 

34070, 34092 and a Southern Region Ferry Van leave Ramsbottom with a Steam heated train.

 

A few shots from Friday, weather forecast for the afternoon totally wrong as usual. Today (Saturday) is forecasted to be very wet and windy, hear in Bury its sunny and breezy, wouldn't pay them with holes in brass washers! off out after lunch.

 

Saturday's weather was typically April, sun, rain and hale! I spent the afternoon at Heywood, a few shots below:



This is not the first LNER A1 to traverse this line, in September 1964 the annual Northern Rubber Special from Doncaster to Blackpool was hauled by 60114 WP ALLEN, it returned in the evening. The line was quite commonly used for excursion traffic to the coast from the East, both in steam and diesel days.