WATCH: Steam locomotive tested at heritage railway after repairs

Richboro steams at the Aln Valley Railway.

The important work was carried out at Ian Storey Ltd, Hepscott, and the engine, named Richboro, was subsequently steamed at the Aln Valley Railway’s Lionheart station, in Alnwick.

The locomotive will be in ‘light steam’ for the railway’s Easter events and she is likely to be seen moving wagons along the lines and will also be available for photographs. The passenger trains at the attraction will still be diesel-hauled until Richboro is given the full go-ahead to do the job. On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday at Lionheart station, there will be an Easter Bunny event for children, diesel-train rides and children-orientated sideshows.

The Aln Valley Railway project is an ambitious plan to reopen the branch line from Alnmouth to Alnwick. The new Lionheart station and visitor centre has been constructed on the outskirts of Alnwick from where the railway will follow the original trackbed all the way to Alnmouth Station. A cycleway/footpath will run alongside providing a safe traffic-free corridor between Alnwick and the National Cycle Network and the coast. For more details, visit the Aln Valley Railway’s website.