After their success in recent years at putting on outstanding Spring Gala's, the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway really pushed the boat out for their spring Gala of 2018, and brings about the first appearance of the line onto my channel.
Two star guest locomotives we brought in for the event, the most notable of which was the NRM's Britannia Class 70013 'Oliver Cromwell' which had just rounded up its recent mainline career the previous week and has now gone into retirement firstly impressing the crowds at the KWVR.
The second guest was Class 7F 53808 from the West Somerset Railway. Sadly she suffered a wash out plug failure just before the gala, however she was up and running by the Friday of the event to provide some very S&D esk trains alongside resident 4F 43924.
The home fleet was out in force to support the guest, including long term loanee 44871, and ran an intensive three day timetable with express passengers, goods trains and vintage shuttles. The weather was typically northern at times, but the sun did poke its head out and as such made the gala a very spiffing event!
