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60 years on, last day of Wye Valley line re-created in Leicestershire

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GWR pannier tank No. 6430 will make its final appearances during its current loan visit to the Battlefield Line during the February half-term period.

The Llangollen Railway-based locomotive will run on February 16, 17, 20, 23 and 24 in the Battlefield Line’s first-ever February services. The line’s diesel railcar will also
run on February 19 and 21.

In early January, No. 6430 took centre stage on the line in a photographic charter to mark 60 years since the closure of the GWR lines from Monmouth to Chepstow and Monmouth to Ross-on-Wye on January 5, 1959. 

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Standing at Shackerstone station, GWR pannier No. 6430 plays the role of scrapped sister No. 6439 in a recreation of the January 4, 1959, Stephenson Locomotive Society’s farewell tour of the GWR Wye Valley lines. MARTIN CREESE

The line to Chepstow opened in November 1876 and the line to Ross-on-Wye in August 1873. To mark the closure, on January 4, 1959, the Stephenson Locomotive Society (Midlands Division) ran a railtour from Chepstow to Ross and return, before running along the branch from Caldicott Junction to Sudbrook pumping station and finishing at Severn Tunnel Junction.

An eight-coach set of Collett and Mk.1 carriages was topped and tailed by beautifully-polished Collett 64XX pannier tanks Nos. 6412 and 6439.

Read more in Issue 251 of HR – on sale now!

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