TV presenter and former member of the British Railways Board Prue Leith is to launch the Great Western Society’s new Churchward Saint 4-6-0 No. 2999 Lady of Legend at Didcot Railway Centre at 11am on Friday, April 5. The event will mark the start of three steaming days at the centre.
Prue was a judge on BBC2’s Great British Menu for 11 years, before joining The Great British Bake Off in March 2017, replacing Mary Berry, when the series moved to Channel 4.
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In a ground-breaking project which physically began in 2004, No. 2999 has been created largely by back-converting ex-Barry scrapyard GWR 4-6-0 No. 4942 Maindy Hall into an example of the predecessor of its class.
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The Saint class represented one of the most important steps forward in railway traction of the 20th century and incorporated many revolutionary advances in design. Sadly, no example was preserved: the last, No. 2920 Saint David, being scrapped in 1953.
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