IT'S full steam ahead for the new season at a popular Denbighshire setting.

Llangollen Railway is pleased to announce that 1925-built GWR 0-6-2T No 5619 will be visiting for the 2022 season from its usual home at the Telford Steam Railway.

The Collett-designed 5600 Class will arrive at Llangollen for completion of its winter maintenance and then undergo its annual examination.

This work will be completed at Llangollen by the MPD team.

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The loco will see use throughout the spring, summer and autumn before returning to Telford in time to haul their very successful Polar Express Christmas trains.

Tom Taylor, Llangollen Railway Trust manager, said: “No 5619 should arrive with us before the end of next week (March 25) and we will pull out all the stops to have her ready to welcome steam back to the beautiful Dee Valley for Easter.

"We are very grateful to our friends at the Telford Steam Railway for offering this superb loco to us.

"Being a Great Western tank, it will look very much at home on our line, which was very much at the heart of GWR Country in its heyday.”

Mr Taylor added: “It is a big step forward to us to source a visiting steam loco as we currently have no serviceable steam locomotives.

"Later this year two of our Llangollen-based Great Western locomotives, 2-8-0 No 3802 and Pannier No 7754, are expected to return to steam.

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"The prospect of seeing three working GWR locos on the railway together is something to really look forward to and another clear sign that the Llangollen Railway is very much back on track.”

Mark Paynter, commercial director of the Telford Steam Railway, said: “The Telford Steam Railway are excited to enter in to a new partnership with the Llangollen Railway and we are more than happy to assist them with their steam loco requirements.”