The 2025 Branchline Gala kicks off both our 50th Birthday celebrations and Railway 200.
We are excited to announce guest loco 6880 Betton Grange will be joining us over the weekend of the 11th to 13th April. Steaming for the first time in 2024, the frames of this new-build locomotive were laid down at Llangollen in 1998. Leaving us in 2018 for completion at Tyseley Locomotive Works, many of our visitors and volunteers were long-term supporters of the project and have very much wanted to see 6880 return to Llangollen to haul trains. The wait is over!
We are also delighted to announce that the second visiting locomotive for our Branchline Gala will be Class 14 No D9525. Built by British Railways at Swindon in 1964. D9525 will be only the second Class 14 to work on the railway, the last time being a short visit from D9521 in 2010.
Appearing alongside 6880 and D9525 will be all of our resident steam fleet. This includes Heavy Freight 2-8-0 No 3802 and Pannier Tank No 7754, making for quite a Western line up. Ex-Austin Motor Company Kitson 0-6-0ST “Austin 1” will also star in the event. As the first steam locomotive to haul a public passenger train on the railway in preservation, Austin 1 will be the icing on the cake at this fantastic event that will kick off our 50th anniversary year and Railway 200 in style.