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Episode 19 – Life on the Watercress Line – Autumn Steam Gala (1)
Welcome to the Autumn Steam Gala (1). The Steam Gala is an opportunity to see Guest locomotives on the Watercress Line. There is one in the Spring and this one each Autumn.
This episode features Foxcote Manor and ‘Prairie’ tank locomotive 5199.
4-6-0 locomotive No. 7822 Foxcote Manor
This is one of a class of 30 engines. Charles Collett designed the engines for the Great Western Railway and first were built in 1938. Foxcote Manor is on of 10 built by British Railways in the 1950s.
The locomotive spent its working life in an area roughly bounded by Chester, Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury. The Cambrian Coast Express was regularly hauled by 7822 and, on 10th August 1963, she ‘double headed’ the Royal Train.
There are 9 survivors from the class. They are an ideal size for heritage lines.
Click here to visit the Foxcote Manor Society web page.
2-6-2 Class 5101 ‘Prairie’ tank No: 5199
5199 is based at the Llangollen Railway. The class was first introduced in 1929 by Charles Collett, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway. Designed for suburban and mainline stopping trains, they accelerated quickly between closely spaced stations. They were also used for ‘banking’, mainline ‘piloting’ and freight trains.
These, and sister classes 6100 and 8100, were amongst the most successful Great Western locomotives. Over 200 locomotives were built.
The name, ‘Prairie’, comes from the US where it was used for 4-6-2 locomotives.
Click here to visit the Llangollen Railway website.
I spoke with a member of the ‘Wagon Group’ about the work that they carry out on the Watercress Line.
Please click on a thumbnail to open the gallery:
To visit the Watercress Line website please follow this link Watercress Line.
The next episode of Life on the Watercress Line is in two weeks.
This podcast is available on iTunes, Spotify and Stitcher.
The theme and incidental music, Steam Railway, used in this podcast is licensed from AKM Music.
Backplate, licensed from Joseph McDade, is used for background music in this episode.
© The MrT Podcast Studio 2019
