34027 Taw Valley, now numbered No. 70 and in its new purple livery, has been unveiled at Bridgnorth Works on the Severn Valley Railway.
The locomotive is set to be on public display at Bridgnorth over the Easter Weekend.
The purple livery and Platinum Jubilee logo is in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
Elizabeth II nameplates will be applied in June before the railway's four-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Visitors to Bridgnorth can see the locomotive on Road 3 in the Locomotive Yard.
“Now that the new livery is complete, we simply couldn't keep this to ourselves any longer,” said SVR managing director Helen Smith. “We hope that seeing the purple loco ‘in the flesh' over the Easter weekend will whet people's appetites to come back and see it in steam.
“We'll be officially renaming the loco as ‘Elizabeth II' on Thursday 2nd June when it will receive its specially commissioned nameplates.
“When you see it up close, it really is something special!”
What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Oliver Bulleid is spinning in his grave. Thankfully it’s only temporary
It’s fabulous. Paint every engine a different colour and breathe new life into the railway. Thomas is blue, Olton Hall is red, Sir Nigel is black etc. Rename all the engines! It doesn’t matter providing it brings in new revenue.
i would love to know whether Oliver would like it. Sadly we will never find out.
Some people have too much money to play with?
Well done SVR. Very clever tribute and a brilliant PR exercise. Ignore the snotty purists who can’t see past the end of their nose. Hope you make a lot of money from this because heritage lines are in BIG trouble with no coal and the cost of rubbish alternatives DOUBLE. All the snooty ‘enthusiasts’ won’t have any running engines to be snooty about.
Move it to London or Windsor so the Queen can see it !
just seems un-authentic to me. I can be very puritanical about these things. Still, if I was there I’d ogle it and salivate. I will visit England for the first time this coming September and so far all the old steam engines are leaving before I arrive. I’ll be in London for 6 days starting Sept 6 but traveling through other parts of England the whole month. I hope I get to see or ride some old steam trains during my trip
Only one comment: Absolutely hideous.
Other opinions are available.
Reminds me of the purple livery that East Midlands Railway have on their rolling stocks. But the purple on the locomotive is much shinier.
It’s ok for the occasion, but the sooner It’s returned to Taw Valley livery the better.
For goodness sake all you grumpy moaners, it’s a TRIBUTE to Her Majesty for Her Platinum Jubilee. It is still Taw Valley and will be liveried as Taw Valley again. This is literally a once in a lifetime event. Stop moaning!
Typical arrogant brit who can’t see passed the end of his brit nose!
Rubbish. On a par with a Hall being called Hogwarts Castle and painted a silly colour.
Taw Valley was named and painted Hogwarts first before the films!!
It is awful !!!! Will not be going to see it that’s for sure
An inspiring ‘Temporary Transformation!!’
Hats off to the Severn Valley Railway for coming up with such a unique way to celebrate our Sovereign’s Platinum Jubilee. It should certainly help swell attendances there this year. Very well done.
This story is 13 days late.
FFS! that colour
Looks a it odd but we’ll done the SVR this will get a lot of publicity for the line.
I think all heritage lines should pain
Yuck
Saw it briefly earlier today in the distance on RailCam – really impressive and a wholly appropriate tribute to our Queen.
Hot (fake) news: Taw Valley to be renamed Silk Cut!
A bit of an OMG moment altogether – though the 08, bless it, rather lets the show down.
Imagine ‘no 70’ hauling a whole train of Bulleid coaches in that livery.
Maybe that’s something for a mainline operator to contemplate. Or what about the HST now known as the Blue Pullman undergoing a further ID change to ‘the Purple Pullman’. I’d pay good money to see that…
It looks great. Would certainly stand out in a snowstorm.
Nuts. Rubbish.