A BEATTIE Well Tank historic train will be the visiting star attraction at South Devon Railway’s Winter Steam Gala.

The locomotive gala will run through February half-term week, from February 11 to 19, at the Buckfastleigh railway.

Dick Wood, of the railway, said: ‘With up to five historic locomotives in steam all hauling period carriages over the nine days, there’ll be many opportunities to experience a true recreation of a West Country railway branch line of the 1950s and early 1960s.

‘This year’s star visiting loco attraction is Beattie Well Tank No 30587, built for the London and South Western Railway by Beyer Peacock in 1874.’

The locomotive initially worked at Nine Elms in London before making its way to Wadebridge in Cornwall where it worked until 1962, often hauling china clay trains on the Wenfordbridge line. Loco number 30587 is now owned by the National Railway Museum and is visiting SDR’s Winter Steam Gala courtesy of the Bodmin and Wenford Railway.

Dick added: ‘Other locomotives to feature in the gala will be GWR Prairie locomotive No 5542, a regular visitor to the SDR line, and the home GWR fleet of Collett No 3205, Pannier No 6412 and Pannier No 1369.

‘Loco No 1369 has also been a regular performer on the Bodmin to Wenfordbridge line in Cornwall in the 1960s along with the Beattie Well Tank, so a chance to see the pair together again.

‘As well as authentic passenger trains with the usual facilities, there will also be demonstration goods trains operating on certain days to help portray the story of how our rural railways were once the life blood of our nation.

‘It will also be possible to inspect some of the major track works and re-modelling that have been taking place here over the winter period at Buckfastleigh.’