AN OLD favourite from the golden age of steam will be returning to Worcestershire after an absence of 76 years to take part in the first major event of the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) 2016 season.

Pannier Tank No. 6430 used to reside at Kidderminster but has not been seen in this area since 1940. However it is one of three Great Western Railway locomotives taking part in the heritage line’s 2016 Spring Steam Gala from Friday March 18 to Sunday March 20.

The quintessential branch-line engine was preserved in 1966 as a kit of spare parts for two other locomotives but was returned to steam in 2003.

Fellow Pannier Tank No. 6412, built in 1934 and preserved in the 1960s, is making its first visit to the SVR. This engine hauled the first train on the South Devon Railway in 1969 as well as starring on ITV’s The Flockton Flyer in 1977.

With two Panniers on the Kidderminster to Bridgnorth heritage line, steam enthusiasts will find this a tantalising sight as the locomotives working together in a double-header.

Another in the line-up is one of the Great Western’s famous named engines No. 6990 Witherslack Hall which was built in 1948 and used in the Locomotive Exchange Trials between Bristol and Plymouth.

These saw engines from the ‘Big Four’ competing to see which locomotive designs worked the best, helping British Railways to build new and improved locomotives. In fact, the tender now paired with No. 6990 used to run with the SVR’s flagship locomotive No. 4930 Hagley Hall, currently undergoing overhaul at Bridgnorth in preparation for a return to steam.

Completing the quartet of visiting locomotives is one of a much smaller scale, which may be recognised as ‘Peter Sam’. Officially called No. 4 Edward Thomas it will be travelling from the famous Talyllyn Railway in West Wales.

It was built in 1921 and is a narrow gauge locomotive that will be steaming on a temporary track at The Engine House Visitor Centre, Highley. Famed as one of the Little Engines that lived on the Island of Sodor in the Thomas the Tank Engine books, Edward Thomas will provide a fascinating comparison to its larger cousins pulling trains that run past the visitor centre.

Starring alongside the visitors, the SVR’s iconic home fleet of locomotives will also be in action, including newly overhauled No. 7802 Bradley Manor and No. 34027 Taw Valley. The ever-popular SVR-based engines will provide a highly varied and intensive timetable, with plenty of opportunities for visitors to hop on and off and visit the line’s beautifully-restored stations, and The Engine House.

An added attraction over the weekend will be the official opening of an all-new exhibition featuring paintings of famous railway artist, Terence Cuneo. The grand opening takes place on March 18h in The Engine House Visitor Centre at Highley.

For more information about this and other events on the SVR this year visit www.svr.co.uk or call 01562 757900 from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Lewis Maddox, the SVR’s events co-ordinator, said: “This year is really shaping up to be an amazing year for both steam and diesel enthusiasts at the SVR.

“A fantastic and varied quartet of visiting locomotives heading to our Spring Steam Gala is the perfect way to kick-off this exciting season, which is filled with new steam events like Steam on the Road as well as our re-vamped Diesel Festival.”