New Build Steam: Better all the time

Its been quite a while!

By now most railfans who follow the UK preservation scene will know that two more new build steam projects have come to fruition- both of which have immense historical importance.

At Dictot, the Great Western Society has completed their rebuild of Steam Railmotor no 23. With crimson lake livery it looks fantastic- and until the Pichi Richi Railway returns their 'Coffee Pot' railmotor to service it is the only operational Steam Railmotor anywhere! The missing link in the evolution of the multiple unit has been filled, and it is also a good vehicle to operate on todays preserved railways.

Meanwhile, the ever famous quote 'Perchance it is not dead, but sleepeth' made about the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway is being proved ever more correct. Not only has the railway itself slowly begun to reappear, but for the first time since the 1930s a Manning Wardle 2-6-2 tank engine of the same type as seen on the railway is operational! 'Lyd', given a name enver used by the Original locos, has been built by the Ffestiniog Railway. So far it has carried a plain black liver as 190 and a fictional BR Livery as BR 30190! Every L&B enthusiast is no doubt waiting for the moment when Lyd is given full southern green livery.

In the meantime, the Brighton Atlantic project at the Bluebell Railway is making leaps and bounds, we're getting ever closer to seeing a GWR 'County' and 'Grange', the 'Bloomer' is still lurking somewhere in Tysley works, two new projects have been launched for a Great Eastern 'Claud Hamilton' and 567 class 4-4-0s....and two seperate groups are considering building a massive P2 2-8-2, including the A1 Steam Trust who built Tornado.

On a final note, Tornado is now in Brunswick Green. With Flying Scotsman due back in service shortly, we shall soon have the incredible moment of classes A1, A2, A3 and A4 being present in the one place....something no one thought would happen ever again!