Orion news - centenary steaming and memorial service

Orion news - centenary events

Our website history of Orion will shortly be updated as further information has come to hand about Orion since the earlier SLS leaflet about the engine was published back in 2005. Originally thought to have reached a centenary in 2005 it is now considered that the locomotive was completed and first steamed in 1911.

A centenary steaming event will therefore take place this coming weekend, 21/22 May, at Locomotion Shildon. Orion is expected to run from mid-morning to circa 4pm on both days. Also a supporting stand manned by SLS NE Group.

Additionally a memorial service honouring the designer and main builder, G R S Darroch, will be held at 11:15am on 11th June at St Bartholomew's Church, Wigginton (Nr Tring) where he is interred.

As a reminder Orion is a 9 1/2 gauge representation of the LNWR "Alfred the Great" class which Darroch began building in his time at Crewe Works. It is the only working, original, Webb compound in the world and a superb machine.

If you wish to join the Society to help maintain and run this iconic locomotive details are at http://www.stephensonloco.org.uk/sls_membership.htm .

 

Update to the above -

As a part of the Orion Centenary I have begun to update our page about the engine and Youtube videos have now been added as part of that. These are the original film (plus a trimmed down version) I made back in April 2005 covering the "Return of Orion to steam" event held at the Downs School Miniature Railway, Colwall.

That, of course, is also a fitting way to launch the new SLS Youtube channel.

 

Orion will remain on display at Locomotion Shildon until mid-November. The two remaining interesting events for Orion 100 are:-

Shildon gala 24/25 Sept - last steaming days before the routine 10 year boiler o/haul.

Static display on the Society stand at the Warley Mod Rly Ex - NEC 19/20 Nov.



Photo is from the Orion 100 anniversary steaming in May this year at Shildon.

Reminder of the link to Orion's return to steam video on YouTube.

 

Just a reminder that we will have Orion on our stand this weekend at the NEC as the last public appearance in "Orion 100" year. If you wish to join the Society to help maintain and run this iconic locomotive details are at http://www.stephensonloco.org.uk/sls_membership.htm .

Our stand number is D17 and with a 9ft locomotive on show you won't miss us. if you are going to be there either as a visitor or exhibitor come up and chat about railways large or small!