Steel, Steam & Stars IV
Return to Corwen
RETURN TO CORWEN is a celebration of the latest of the 6880 Betton Grange Society's six day 'mega gala' Steel, Steam & Star events that was organised on the Llangollen Railway in March 2015. The Steel, Steam & Star IV gala marked the return of scheduled passenger trains to Corwen after an absence of over 50 years, calling at a temporary station at Dwyrain Corwen East, and the gala celebrated the very finest elements of welsh steam. This included GWR 14xx 0-4-2T 'auto tank' 1450 (visiting from the Severn Valley), the last surviving GWR Collett '2251' 0-6-0 3205 (from the South Devon), GWR 'heavy freight' power in the form of resident Collett '2884' 2-8-0 3802 and Churchward designed 42xx 2-8-0 4270, which dates from 1910, and which was making its first return to Wales since restoration. In addition, the gala also featured GWR 51xx 2-6-2T Large Prairie 5199, BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 92214 Central Star, which was adorned with a Western Region style nameplate, and in the same livery as that worn by 92220 Evening Star. The welsh LMS / LNWR connection was represented by LMS Black Five 4-6-0 45231 The Sherwood Forester, together with 'foreign' power in the form of newly restored SR 'West Country' 7P5F 4-6-2 34092 Wells. As well as celebrating the return of scheduled passenger trains to Corwen for the first time since 1965, this programme rekindles memories of the Great Western's former cross country route from Ruabon to Bala Junction, as well as evoking the essence of so many former GWR And LMS lines through Mid and South Wales, and reminds us of exactly what was lost under the Beeching cuts in this part of Wales.
RUNNING TIME: 66 mins (approx). PRICE: £19.99 + £3 P&P.
RUNNING TIME: 66 mins (approx). PRICE: £19.99 + £3 P&P.