45596 Bahamas will join Steam Dreams for seven rail tours in 2021, including the locomotives first-ever preservation trip from London.
Currently, day trips to Salisbury, Cardiff and York have been announced, with one more trip to be confirmed next month.
On Sunday, 18th July 2021, the Jubilee locomotive will depart London on its first trip from London since the 1960s as part of the Steam Dreams railtour to Salisbury.
This tour is just one of seven dates announced by Steam Dreams, including a double-headed trip with 61306 Mayflower to Cardiff.
On the 18th of July, the locomotive will depart London Paddington before picking up passengers at Slough and Reading before heading for Salisbury, arriving at approximately 12:30.
Wiltshire locals will have the chance to ride behind the locomotive on the same day, as it takes on a circular trip through the Hampshire countryside from Salisbury.
The Welsh Dragon will be hauled by 45596 Bahamas and 61306 Mayflower from London Paddington to Gloucester, Lydney and Cardiff, before the Bahamas programme will complete with a London to York trip on Sunday 3rd October 2021.
Day trip tickets start from £79 per person with Pullman Style Dining available, with Champagne Breakfast and a four-course meal, for £234 a person.
David Buck, Chairman of Steam Dreams, commented “We are extremely pleased to have teamed up with The Bahamas Locomotive Society for an exciting series of rail tours this summer. We're delighted with the routes which allow Bahamas not only to steam out of London for the first time since preservation but also to traverse lines which the loco may never have visited, even in the days of steam.” He added “We look forward to announcing one more tour with the locomotive which will take place in September.”
Keith Whitmore, Bahamas Locomotive Society Chairman, said “I am delighted that we will be working with Steam Dreams for the first time and indeed that for our first ever trip from London we will be working in partnership with David Buck and his team from Steam Dreams. We are excited to have this opportunity to showcase Bahamas over unfamiliar and new routes in the South and West. 2021 is the 60th anniversary of the engine being used by British Rail as its final attempt to improve the performance of its steam fleet. Bahamas is now one of a just a few main line engines operated and supported by a voluntary group”.
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This is definitely going to be Quite A Highlight of the Year 2021… even for the UK Preservation Movement… As this ex-LMS Jubilee Steam Loco’s indeed going to do well on the so-called Steam Dreams Railtour(s) Services, this very year.