Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s BR ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T No. 41313 passes Cold Bath bridge with the 12.30 from Eridge on June 17. BOTH: NICK GILLIAM
For its June 17/18 Southern Steam Up gala, the Spa Valley Railway fielded two steam locomotives which made rare visits away from their home lines.
It was the first time the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s BR Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T No. 41313 had crossed the Solent since 2017 when it returned to service – while SECR ‘O1’ 0-6-0 has not left Bluebell Railway metals since 2009.
Other performers at the event, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Southern Railway, included SR Bulleid Pacific No. 34072 257 Squadron, Caledonian Railway 0-6-0 No. 828 and Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0 No. 2890 Douglas.