STEAM trains should be up and running once more at Llangollen Railway over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The railway team has announced they will return with the help of another railway and a historic engine built during the Second World War.
The War Department (WD) "Austerity" saddle tank locomotive No 68067 arrived at the site on Thursday, August 24 from the Great Central Railway in Leicestershire.
The engine was built in 1943 by Hudswell-Clarke in Leeds. After being sold on by the War Department, 68067 spent 30 years with the National Coal Board at several collieries, ending up at Bold near St Helens for the final four years of its career and picking up the name "Robert".
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Lasting in industrial service until 1982, 68067 was amongst the UK's last steam locomotives in use outside of preservation.
PIC: The historic 68067 which will be at Llangollen Railway this weekend.
Terry Pickthall, Llangollen Railway press officer, said: “We are very pleased to see 68067 arrive with us after a challenging season. Repairs to our resident locomotives have encountered problems and taken longer than expected, leaving us without a steam loco at the height of our season.
"Although our diesel railcars and locomotives have done a superb job of filling the void, steam traction is very much at the heart of what we do and is always very popular with our visitors.
"We are very grateful to the loco’s owners and wider team at the Great Central Railway who have made 68067’s visit to us possible. Everyone has pulled out the stops to get the engine to us in time for the Bank Holiday weekend, which is always a busy one for us."
After some checks and a test run 68067 is due to be put straight to work at the Llangollen Railway today (Friday, August 26), Saturday 27 (alongside a diesel locomotive) and Sunday 28. (alongside a diesel railcar).
It will be staying in North Wales for at least the next few weeks until repairs are complete on the lines’ resident GWR “heavy freight” locomotive No 3802.
Tickets can be bought on the day of travel and advanced booking is available online at https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/.
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