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2026 Entries/Returnees and Withdrawals

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by Ben Jenden, Dec 9, 2025 at 10:04 AM.

  1. Ben Jenden

    Ben Jenden Well-Known Member

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    Returnees: *subject to caveats*
    - Q-class 541 (Bluebell)
    - 70013 "Oliver Cromwell" (GCR)
    - 777 "Sir Lamiel" (GCR)
    - Large Prairie 4150 (SVR)
    - USA 65 (KESR)
    - N2 1744 (NNR)
    - M7 30053 (Swanage)
    - 4MT 80104 (Swanage)

    Withdrawals
    - Standard 4MT 76017 - 1st January (KESR)
    - 57xx 7714 (SVR)
    - 7F 13809 - January (NNR)
    - Ivatt 2 41312 (MHR)
    - 4MT No. 80136 (NYMR)
    - O1 65 (Bluebell) - ticket expires in 2027 but depending on mileage due to tyre wear
    - 2MT 78018 (GCR)
    - Large Prairie 4144 (Didcot)

    Any other planned/hoped for/likely returnees and known withdrawals/end of boiler tickets please write below so I can edit the post - I made the thread in the hope of tempting people to see a loco(s) in steam before the ticket expires - Obviously all subject to change.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2025 at 10:09 AM
    Ben Jenden, Dec 9, 2025 at 10:04 AM
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  2. 32110

    32110 Member

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    Ivatt Cl. 2 46447 at the East Somerset Railway should return in 2026.
     
    32110, Dec 9, 2025 at 10:14 AM
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  3. Wagoniester

    Wagoniester Member

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    I thought 323 Bluebell might be back this year but admittedly haven't heard anything updated on that for a while.

    Andrew Barclay 2221 is being worked on hard at the Dean Forest in a bid to have it ready for the March gala there.
     
    Wagoniester, Dec 9, 2025 at 10:51 AM
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  4. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Judging by a recent photo and report in the "Tenterden Terrier", it looks as if 2-8-0T No. 4253 has a good chance of returning to steam at the K&ESR during 2026.

    Significantly, 4150 and 4253 will be the first ex-Barry restorations to be completed since 4110 (unless one counts 2999 and 6880) and only the second and third since the Covid lockdown. This is another indicaton of the challenges the preservation movement is facing with the triple whammy of a difficult economic environment (and one which isn't likely to improve before 2029), fewer, more elderly volunteers and the sheer amount of work needed to complete the restoration of locos which, by and large, were among the last to leave Woodham's and therefore the roughest.
     
    John Petley, Dec 9, 2025 at 11:11 AM
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  5. misspentyouth62

    misspentyouth62 Well-Known Member

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    Theres still one or two from the 2025 thread that have got very quiet with no news or updates - J94 68078 at Sellinge for example (Companies House showing recent striking off of those running Kent Locomotives Limited doesn't sound promising??)

    4150 is not an ordinary returnee as such - it's a big return from withdrawal in the 1960s though!

    A call out for news rather than anything I know : GW 3814? 4936 Kinlet Hall has been in Tyseley for some years now. No recent news afaik on the Heavy freights 7200 & 7202 at GWS / QRd?

    At MHR I think that 2026 is overly ambitious for me wanting to see 34007 Wadebridge return and 75079 to steam again. 34101 Hartland's firebox seems to be coming together at NYMR however?

    Also, the guys at Bo'ness seem to be making good progress with D49 Morayshire but again, 2026 may be wishful thinking from me.
     
    misspentyouth62, Dec 9, 2025 at 11:16 AM
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