Visitors to the Severn Valley Railway’s Spring Steam Gala between 18 and 21 April will be able to see number and date plates from a locomotive that holds a unique place in the history of railway travel.
The original number and date plates from ‘Locomotion No 1’will be on display on Kidderminster Town station concourse, as well as a nameplate from ‘Evening Star’, the last steam loco built for British Railways in 1960, and the smokebox plate from ‘Mallard’, which broke the world steam speed record in 1938, a record that stands today.
The ‘Locomotion’ plates are among the oldest tangible links with the original engine, which was built in 1825, although it wouldn’t have carried a number or name until at least the 1830s.
The plates were believed lost, until their current owner David Gray unearthed them out of storage. His grandfather, Peter Gray, had received them as a gift when he was the manager at Darlington Locomotive Works in the 1960s.
In October, the ‘Locomotion’ plates will go on sale via Railwayana Auctions UK, but before that happens, the company is arranging a tour of railway venues around the UK during the Railway 200 celebration year. The Severn Valley’s Gala will be the first chance to see them.
Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, the SVR’s managing director said, ‘Having these unique artefacts together on display for the first time ever at Kidderminster will be a wonderful addition to our Spring Steam Gala. They represent the earliest, last and fastest steam locomotives, and this will be a rare opportunity.’
The Spring Steam Gala features visiting locos 45596 ‘Bahamas’ and 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ with one further guest still to be announced. Members of the home fleet taking part will include 7802, 7812, 75069, 7714 and 1450.
As well as the display of artefacts, Railwayana Auctions will offer a walk-in valuation service at the event. The loco artefacts tour is being sponsored by TRACKSIDE magazine.
For more information, timetable and tickets for the Spring Steam Gala, please visit svr.co.uk.