A special railtour, hauled by LNER B1 No. 61306 Mayflower, will depart Ealing Broadway this June, bound for Chesterfield and will make a rare journey on the Marston Vale Line.
On Thursday 9th June, Mayflower will depart Ealing Broadway and will make its way up the West Coast Main Line before taking the Marston Vale Line to Bedford, stopping at Bletchley and Ridgmount to pick up passengers.
Mayflower will then head up the Midland Main Line to reach Derbyshire where passengers will have the option to join different excursions in the Peak District.
Tickets for this trip will range from £109 for Premium Standard to Pullman Style Dining, which will cost £274 per person.
David Buck, Chairman of Steam Dreams and owner of steam locomotive Mayflower, commented “We are delighted our trip coincides with the special 175th anniversary celebrations. Mayflower has not hauled this route in recent history, and to experience the locomotive over this beautiful line will be a magnificent sight.” Buck added “it is always really exciting to bring a steam train to a new route and is made even more pertinent by the fact that steam-powered travel was one of the main modes of transport 175 years ago. The interest and enthusiasm from passengers to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a steam train is wonderful.”
Transport Team Leader (Rail) at the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership, Stephen Sleight, is delighted that Mayflower will be making a visit: “We are currently celebrating the 175th anniversary year of the Line and are very pleased to welcome a rare steam special. He added “Our wonderful Friends of Ridgmont Station volunteers will be on hand to welcome visitors to Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre, where I'm sure there will be an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation for Mayflower's arrival.”
Can’t wait for this. Will be my first sight of a B1 on the mainline.