The West Somerset Railway (WSR) has announced that Great Western Railway (GWR) 94XX No. 9466 is the mystery guest locomotive for their Spring Steam Gala.
About the gala
9466 makes the perfect mystery guest for the gala, with the theme being GWR branch lines and routes. Joining fellow GWR locomotives from various classes, both big and small, the Gala has got all the right engines to recreate a branch line setting.
About 9466
One of the last designs produced for the GWR by Hawksworth. The class first appeared in 1947, just before the GWR became the Western Region under British Railways.
9466 was built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns in 1951, with the engine being allocated to Worcester (85A) in early 1952.
The class was unfortunate in that diesel shunters were increasing in number, starting to replace the 94XXs from the late 1950s onwards. 9466 lasted until Summer 1964, where the engine was withdrawn and sold to Barry Scrapyard.
Saved from Barry in 1977, 9466 returned to steam at Quainton Road Railway Centre in the Mid 1980s. Throughout preservation, 9466 has run on both mainline and preserved lines. The tank currently wears BR Unlined Black with Early Crest.
- Visit the West Somerset Railway’s website
For more information