The Severn Valley Railway is delighted to confirm the first guest locomotive for its Autumn Steam Gala, taking place from 17 to 20 September, as planning for the four-day event gathers pace.

Joining the line-up will be Ivatt Class 2 tank locomotive No 41313, appearing courtesy of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The visit marks several notable milestones, including the locomotive’s first-ever appearance at the Severn Valley Railway and the first visit by an Isle of Wight-based locomotive to the line. It will also become only the third member of the Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2 tank family to visit the SVR in preservation.

We are particularly pleased to be able to make this announcement at such an early stage in its preparations for the gala and expects to reveal further visiting locomotives in the coming weeks.

SVR chief executive Gus Dunster said:

“We’re delighted to announce our first guest locomotive for the Autumn Steam Gala so early in the planning process. No 41313 will be making history as the first locomotive from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway to visit the Severn Valley Railway, and we’re very grateful to our colleagues there for making this possible.

“Combined with the anticipated gala debut of our newly restored Prairie tank GWR No 4150, and a strong home fleet line-up, 41313 is a fantastic addition to the event. We’re continuing to work hard behind the scenes on further guest locomotive arrangements and hope to be able to share more exciting news with enthusiasts very soon.”

Built at Crewe Works in 1952, No 41313 is one of George Ivatt’s versatile Class 2 2-6-2 tank locomotives, originally designed for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Intended for light passenger and mixed-traffic duties, the class incorporated advanced labour-saving features more commonly associated with larger locomotives, including hopper ashpans and rocking grates. The design also featured 1,350-gallon side tanks and a distinctive sloping bunker that improved rearward visibility for crews.

No 41313 entered service in May 1952 at Brighton before moving to Exmouth Junction, where it displaced ageing Drummond M7 tanks on local passenger services around Exeter. Subsequent allocations included Three Bridges and Faversham, giving the locomotive a varied career across the Southern Region.

During the Autumn Steam Gala, 41313 will work alongside the recently restored GWR Prairie No 4150, which, subject to successful testing and the completion of final snagging work, is expected to make its first gala appearance in preservation. The locomotive’s return to traffic represents a significant moment in preservation history, as 4150 is the last of the Barry scrapyard rescues on the SVR to be restored.

The gala line-up will also feature members of the SVR’s home fleet, including GWR No 813, GWR No 4930 Hagley Hall, GWR No 7714, LMS No 13268 and BR Standard Class 4 No 75069.
With the first guest locomotive now confirmed and further announcements expected soon, the SVR’s Autumn Steam Gala is already shaping up to be one of the highlights of the heritage railway calendar.

Further details and ticket information are on the Autumn Gala event page and additional guest locomotive announcements will be released in due course.