A special attraction at this year’s Severn Valley Railway Summer Gala is a Kerr Stuart ‘Witch’ Class steam locomotive.

Owned by Jack Dibnah and normally based at the Foxfield Railway in Staffordshire, which acquired it in 1983, Kerr Stuart ‘Witch’ Class 0-4-0 saddle tank No 4388 will be a star at the gala on Saturday, 18th and Sunday, 19th July.

Built in 1926 for the British Gas Light Company’s gas works at Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent, it is an unusual design, with outside cylinders, no front footplate, and a small saddle tank. At Etruria, it replaced horses to shunt coal wagons from the main line at Etruria to the gas works.

As well as the Witch Class locomotive, up to three guest locomotives are expected to attend the gala, where a busy timetable has been planned along the complete length of the railway between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth.

Further attractions at the gala include the Engine House at Highley, which will be open, refreshments including real ales will be on tap in station pubs, whilst running at Kidderminster Station throughout the gala will be a live-steam Gauge 1 model railway.

Engines from the railway’s home fleet are expected to include Great Western Railway (GWR) steam locomotives Nos. 813, 1450, and 7714, and diesel locomotives Class 14 No. D9551, Class 17 No. D8568 and Class 20 No. 20048.

More information and ticket booking details are online at svr.co.uk.

Other railways that hold Summer galas include the West Lancashire Light Railway at Hesketh Bank near Preston in Lancashire, and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

“We’re thrilled to be launching our brand-new Summer Gala and to welcome such a characterful and unusual locomotive as No 4388 as our first guest. This event is all about celebrating the variety of our fleet and offering something a little different for enthusiasts and families alike, whether that’s classic steam, heritage diesel or even miniature live-steam action at Kidderminster.”

Lewis Maddox, visitor engagement manager at the Severn Valley Railway, said: