Thompson ‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower

  • Four centuries on… Mayflower to honour the Mayflower

    Four centuries on… Mayflower to honour the Mayflower

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    DAVID Buck’s Thompson ‘B1’ 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower will pay homage to the ship of the same name next September when it heads a commemorative railtour from London to Plymouth and Penzance to mark the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Pilgrim Fathers to the Americas. Steam Dreams’ ‘Mayflower 400’ will leave London Paddington at…

  • ‘Royal Windsor Steam Express’ to return in 2020

    ‘Royal Windsor Steam Express’ to return in 2020

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    Regular steam operation will return to London Waterloo in 2020 after Steam Dreams confirmed its ‘Royal Windsor Steam Express’ will run again next summer.  Operating every Tuesday until September 3, the trains consist of three one-way, steam-hauled trips from Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside and an evening dining circuit known as the ‘Sunset Steam…

  • Mayflower in the Highlands

    Mayflower in the Highlands

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    ‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower crosses the Beauly Firth at Invershin while working a day tour from Inverness to Dunrobin Castle during Steam Dreams’ mammoth ‘Highlands and Islands’ tour of Scotland on May 9-17.  The previous day, the Thompson 4-6-0 worked with No. 60103 Flying Scotsman over the Highland Main Line from Edinburgh.  ‘Scotsman’ worked north from King’s…

  • Type 4s deputise after Torbay steam failures

    Type 4s deputise after Torbay steam failures

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    Steam Dreams’ ‘Cathedral Express’ trip from Slough to Kingswear was powered by two West Coast Railways Class 47s on May 4 after the booked steam locomotives suffered failures.  The original plan was for a WCRC ‘47’ to work the train as far as Taunton, where David Buck’s ‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower would take over for the…

  • With full regulator: LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW

    With full regulator: LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW

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    In his latest column, Don Benn describes the performance of Clan Line on December 20’s ‘Carols in Sherborne Abbey’ trip  – and also February 2’s ‘Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express’ double-header of Mayflower and British India Line, which hauled the train between Carnforth and Carlisle and return to Preston via the Settle and Carlisle route. THIS…

  • Unusual pairing sparkles  in sunshine and snow

    Unusual pairing sparkles in sunshine and snow

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    THE rare combination of a Thompson ‘B1’ 4-6-0 and a rebuilt ‘Merchant Navy’ was the highlight of February 2’s ‘Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express’.  No. 61306 Mayflower and No. 35018 British India Line worked north to Carlisle via the West Coast Main Line and returned later in the day via the Settle to Carlisle Line, enjoying glorious conditions…

  • Main line comeback for Thompson ‘B1’ Mayflower

    Main line comeback for Thompson ‘B1’ Mayflower

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    THOMPSON ‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower is back! Overhaul of David Buck’s 4-6-0 was completed at the West Coast Railways workshop at Carnforth in November, and on the 29th the loco underwent an engine-and-coach main line test run from Carnforth to Barrow-in-Furness and back. A loaded test run followed over the Carnforth-Hellifield-Preston circuit on December 6, during…

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