Royal Engine in Vintage Pairings on Double Headed Steam Tours from Birmingham this Spring

Published 9th March 2012

Royal Steam Locomotive on Historic Trains in Anniversary Year

BIRMINGHAM - The Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society is celebrating owning the steam engine of that name, the LMS prototype Pacific, No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth for 50 years this year. The engine is based at Tyseley Locomotive Works and is part of the Vintage Trains regular locomotive pool.

In the year that celebrates the 60th anniversary of The Queen ascending to the Throne, it is highly appropriate that the engine will be used on high profile Vintage Trains’ services linked in with both anniversaries.

Pannier Pair on Double Lickey Banker - as part of Vintage Trains’ Pannier Pairing Season!

The Crimson-lake liveried holder of the longest non-stop steam service record will receive an undignified shove from two GWR Pannier Tanks while ascending The Lickey Bank on March 24.

So this trip on March 24 which features three steam locomotives is one not too be missed and will attract hundreds of lineside viewers. The train starts at Solihull and calls only at Dorridge and is routed via Oxford before taking the Great Western Mainline through Swindon and Box Tunnel to Bristol.

It returns through Cheltenham and Bromsgrove where the train will stop to attach the two Pannier banking engines for the noisy and spectacular run up the Lickey. The Panniers will then take the lead after as the train reverses back to the train’s starting points.

Whistle-blowing for The Thames Pageant

After this charter train, Princess Elizabeth takes a train from Tyseley to Kensington Olympia on June 3 and will take pride of place for the Thames Queen’s Pageant.

The engine will be positioned on the Chelsea railway bridge and whistle at the appointed hour as the signal to the flotilla of ships to start moving down The Thames. This is highly appropriate as the engine was named after HM The Queen in 1937.

The train calls at Solihull, Dorridge, Warwick Parkway and Banbury and is yet another charter not to miss!

Pannier Pair Return to Charter Duties on The East Midland Rambler

Tyseley’s pair of GWR 0-6-0PT Pannier Tank Steam engines make a return journey to the East Midlands on April 14 in charge of a Vintage Trains charter which repeats last year’s similar sold out train.

Passengers can only travel from Tyseley Warwick Road and will enjoy a leisurely and somewhat different day out on the following route from Tyseley:

The freight line through Sutton Park, Walsall, Aston, Birmingham International (reverse), Aston, Lichfield, Wichnor Junction, Branston Junction, Coalville, Knighton, Nuneaton, Saltley and back to Tyseley.

Heads Up for Birmingham’s Tyseley Locomotive Works Open Weekend

The Birmingham Locomotive Works will open its doors on June 23 and 24 this year for an exhibition of traction and rolling stock. The Tyseley Collection will be on show along with a chance to see first hand the work done at Tyseley.

It is also a rare chance to see items that would otherwise not be seen and also to enjoy a ride behind several steam locomotives. There will also be a few visiting guest locomotives and turntable demonstrations to be seen.

More details to follow!

External Links

• Tyseley Loco Works