Two great steam locomotives back together for Bank Holiday showcase

Two great steam locomotives are coming back together again at a musuem.
By David Sedgwick
Published 25th Apr 2022, 16:01 GMT
The Vulcan steam train.The Vulcan steam train.
The Vulcan steam train.

Stephenson Steam Railway, in association with the North Tyneside Steam Railway (NTSR), will be hosting the Victor & Vulcan Reunion Gala from Saturday, April 30, to Monday, May 2.

Organised by the volunteers of the NTSRA, the three-day event will be a true spectacle of sights and sounds featuring two great steam locomotives.

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Together again for the first time since the 1980s, Victor and Vulcan were two of three steam locomotives built in 1951 at Stafford by W.G. Bagnall Ltd for the Steel Company of Wales.

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    The Victor steam train.The Victor steam train.
    The Victor steam train.

    Vulcan, also known as 401, was acquired by Stephenson Steam Railway in 1986 where it is regularly used to haul the passenger service on running days.

    Victor (403) is on loan courtesy of the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway.

    During the Gala, the two locomotives will be hauling a passenger service and demonstration freight trains.

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    The weekend’s programme includes live music, and a display of vintage cars and buses, the latter provided by the North East Bus Preservation Trust.

    Entry to the museum is free of charge, donations welcome.

    Day rover tickets are required to ride any of the passenger services and cost £5 to £35 + booking fee.

    For more information and bookings, visit www.stephensonsteamrailway.org.uk

    Geoff Woodward, museum manager for Tyne & Wear Archives Museums’ venues in North and South Tyneside, said: “Hosting guest locomotives is always exciting and bringing Victor and Vulcan back together for the first time in nearly 40 years is going to be particularly special and an experience not-to-be-missed.”

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    Stephen Thornton, chair of the NTSRA, said: “Over the past few months, a small team of enthusiastic volunteers has been planning the Victor & Vulcan Reunion Gala, which was originally planned to take place in early 2020 and was postponed two years in a row due to COVID-19.

    "Whilst it was disheartening at the time, all the volunteers of the North Tyneside Steam Railway are very excited to finally see the event come to fruition, the ‘big Bagnalls’ reunited once more, and everyone’s hard work pay off.”

    For volunteer opportunities at Stephenson Steam Railway, contact David Grindley, engineering & railway operations manager, for an informal chat on (0191) 277 7135 or email [email protected]