Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway’s Davey Paxman 2-8-2 River Esk explores a different kind of landscape from its home line as it crosses Collins Bridge with the 10.40 Hythe to Dungeness service on May 13, during Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s gala.
NICK WARREN
FOLLOWING the appearance of Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s (RH&DR) Davey Paxman 4-6-2 No. 2 Northern Chief (and Davey Paxman 4-8-2 No. 6 Samson, see The RM, June) to Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway’s (R&ER) April 29-May 1 gala, the visit was reciprocated by R&ER’s Davey Paxman 2-8-2 River Esk going to Kent to appear in RH&DR’s May 13/14 gala.
Privately owned Bassett-Lowke 4-4-2 ‘Little Giant’ Count Louis also visited the event and based at New Romney station, worked a shuttle with a single carriage. The event also featured Romney’s Davey Paxman 4-6-2 No. 1 Green Goddess running with Flying Scotsman nameplates and a train hauled by seven locomotives – picture RM Headline News, June.
With the figures now calculated, the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway’s Steam Gala Weekend, featuring visiting RH&DR locos as reported last month, has been hailed “a roaring success” with visitor numbers around 20% up on the same time last year.