The 2857 Society has announced that the last day in traffic for GWR 2-8-0 No. 2857 will be on the Severn Valley Railway on Monday, 2nd January 2023.
In June, 2857 was granted an extension of its boiler certificate.
On its final day, 2857 will haul departures from Kidderminster station at 10.15 and 14.35. The 14.35 departure will also be the “Severn Valley Limited” dining train with nine Great Western carriages comprising six regular passenger coaches and three Severn Valley Limited carriages.
The cost for travelling on the dining train will be £60.00 per person, which will include a three-course meal. Each guest will receive a free gift from the 2857 Society. The society will receive £10.00 from each booking towards raising funds for 2857's next overhaul.
Anyone wishing to travel in the regular portion of the train on either the 10.15 or 14.35 departures from Kidderminster should book their tickets through the Severn Valley Railway's website at www.svr.co.uk
Anyone who wishes to enjoy a meal on the 14.35 departure should email the 2857 Society. info@2857.org.uk. The society will respond to your email with further details.
2857 was purchased for preservation on 20th May 1974, and moved by rail to the Severn Valley Railway on 20th August 1975. Restoration started at Bewdley in January 1976, and three years later on 9th September 1979 it steamed for the first time in preservation. It was one of five engines that returned to steam on the Severn Valley Railway in 1979, which earned the railway an award at the Association of Railway Preservation Societies award show.
In the 1980s, 2857 underwent an overhaul, which culminated with a return trip to Newport hauling a train of Severn Valley Railway's goods wagons on 10th September 1985. 2857's boiler certificate expired in February 1995, which signalled the start of a heavy general overhaul that lasted until 2857 was steamed again on 4th July 2011.
In recent years, 2857 has visited the North Norfolk Railway, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and the East Lancashire Railway.
I only hope it will not be to long in returning it to traffic and not just stuck in the Engine House
Yes I Agree But I Doubt That The SVR Will Want 2857 Out For Any Longer Then Needed As Being A Large Locomotive Is Sought After For Pulling Trains And Goods Trains
I believe the plan is to have her back in steam by the time of the GWR 200th anniversary in 2035, though i understand they are already trying to get her an overhaul slot, so maybe sooner.