‘Q6’ confirmed for Severn Valley gala

North Eastern Railway ‘Q6’ No. 63395 will make a rare visit away from its North Yorkshire Moors Railway home in September, to star in the Severn Valley Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala.


Confirmed for the Severn Valley Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on September 20-23, ‘Q6’ No. 63395 rounds Darnholm on its North Yorkshire Moors Railway home. LEWIS MADDOX

The 1918-built Raven 0-8-0, celebrating its 100 anniversary this year, has been officially confirmed to attend the SVR’s September 20-23 event, where it will line-up alongside the railway’s own centenarian eight-coupled freight locomotive, ‘28XX’ No. 2857.

The ‘Q6’, which will be attending the four-day event courtesy of the NYMR and the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group, is the second visiting engine confirmed for the gala, following the announcement that ‘Princess Coronation’ No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland will be making a return to the SVR.

Both visiting engines announced so far are under overhaul, with the ‘Duchess’ currently undergoing a ‘ten-yearly’ at its West Shed base at the Midland Railway – Butterley, while No. 63395 is expected to return to steam later this spring.

It is hoped that the SVR’s resident BR Standard ‘4MT’ 4-6-0 No. 75069 will make its first gala appearance for 14 years at the event, having last steamed in 1994. The locomotive is nearing the end of its own overhaul at Bridgnorth.

Further announcements regarding visiting locomotives to the SVR’s Autumn Steam Gala are anticipated. For more information, visit www.svr.co.uk/AutumnGala

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