Battlefield Line Winter Gala Steam Action! 3rd February 2024

Quite a fun day this was! Was my first time visiting the Battlefield Line Railway for it's Winter Warmer Gala event with several guest Steam Locos putting on a great show! Unlike most other Heritage Railways, this one doesn't have any Steam Locomotives based on this railway, so this was a special occasion with Steam being the main focus of action on the railway. And some notable moments from this, with 78018 struggling to steam out of Shackerstone, even getting wheelslip in the process, as well as a doubleheader train with 2 surviving classmates of the GWR 5101 Large Prairie Class together with 4144 and 5199!
Originally, newly built GWR 6880 Betton Grange was planned to be a guest loco at this event but wasn't ready in time, and so 78018 took it's place, and rather importantly as the locomotive when originally saved for preservation in 1978 was first moved to the Battlefield Line for restoration, but ended up being sold off and restored elsewhere, so it was rather poetic to see 78018 return to where it's original plans for restoration was supposed to be!
Steam Locomotives featured:
BR Standard Class 2 78018 (visiting from the Great Central Railway)
GWR 5101 Class 4144 (Visiting from the Didcot Railway Centre)
GWR 5101 Class 5199 (Visiting from the West Somerset Railway)

[@teddymckinney1654]

Promo>SM 🙋