The Bluebell Railway and the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust are pleased to announce that, LNER class A4 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley will be the star attraction at the 2024 Giants of Steam Gala (11th, 12th and 13th October).
We are also able to announce that alongside the locomotive’s attendance for Giants Of Steam, 60007 will also operate on special Bluebell Railway Golden Arrow pullman dining services the following weekend during its stay at The Bluebell Railway. (19th and 20th October) More details of these will follow in due course.
The Bluebell Railway are delighted to be welcoming this iconic and historic locomotive for the first time to our railway in October and we must thank everyone at the SNGLT for allowing Sir Nigel Gresley to take part in our Autumn Giants Of Steam Gala.
Sir Nigel Gresley, classmate of the world speed record holder Mallard, is currently the only operational A4 locomotive, having recently undergone a £1m overhaul. It is based a Crewe for mainline tours but visits heritage railways two or three times each year. Sir Nigel is owned by a charitable trust which is committed to keeping it steaming as long as possible.
During 60007’s visit to The Bluebell Railway, the Trust will also be running a member’s day event.
Nigel Wilson, Chairman of The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust
“Since we completed the last overhaul of Sir Nigel in 2022, we have mixed mainline running with several heritage railway visits. It is our objective to make Sir Nigel as widely available to our members and the public as possible which has meant visits to all corners of the country.
We were therefore delighted to be invited to the historic Bluebell railway which will give those in the South a chance to enjoy the locomotive. We still have a lot of members in the London area who remember the times in the 1980s when the engine regularly ran out of Marylebone”.
“It is wonderful that two organisations that go back to the dawn of the steam preservation era are working together for the first time”.
(Bluebell started running services in 1960, and SNGLT has operated Sir Nigel Gresley since 1967).
Neil Glaskin – Operations Director Of The Bluebell Railway:
“We are delighted that A4 locomotive 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley will be headlining our Giants of Steam event between 11th and 13th October and then staying on at The Bluebell Railway to run with our beautiful Pullman dining train the weekend after the gala.
This will be the locomotive’s first visit to the Bluebell Railway and the first opportunity for the locomotive to be seen on a Heritage Railway in the south for many years.
We are greatly appreciative and extend our thanks to the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust for agreeing to bring their locomotive to Sussex and we look forward to announcing more details of this year’s Giants Of Steam gala in the next few months”.
