Home»All Photographs»Year Albums»2024»February»2024_02_04 Battlefield Line Winter Warmer Gala

The Winter Warmer Gala at the Battlefield Line had been advertised for quite some time. It was expected to feature a pair of Great Western designed Class 5101 2-6-2T locomotives, known as Large Prairies, 4144 and 5199. Late in 2023 it was announced that it was hoped to include ‘new build’ Grange, 68XX Class 4-6-0 6880 BETTON GRANGE subject to completion of the build and successful running-in trials at Tyseley. Unfortunately, the Grange was not quite ready to attend but a replacement in the form of Loughborough based BR Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 78018 was secured to complete the three locomotive line-up. It was a very enjoyable day’s photography which was restricted to public access locations due to the very wet nature of fields and footpaths. All the essentials of a Battlefield Gala were achieved including the interesting manoeuvres required to turn trains around at Market Bosworth and the double header with the pair of tank engines that were fortunately both facing in the same direction. Overall, my assessment must be a very successful day out with interesting trains and good company.