A Lineup Of Four 21st Century Steam Locomotives! | Giants Of Steam At The Bluebell Railway 18/10/25

Another instalment of the Blubell Railways ever popular ‘Giants of Steam’ gala, this celebrating new-build steam locomotives, with every operational engine having a collective age of around 25 years old. Alongside the bluebells own H2 Marsh Atlantic, 32424 Beachy Head, were three visiting new-builds, 60163 Tornado, 2999 Lady of Legend & 6880 Betton Grange.

Beachy Head is a recreation a LBSCR H2 Marsh Atlantic, first introduced in 1911. Unfortunately, none of originals surviving in service past 1958, roughly 10 years before the end of steam on British Railways. However, thanks to decades of dedicated work by the Atlantic House team at Sheffield Park, a completely new example was completed in June 2024, filling an important gap in railway history. Owned by the Bluebell Railway Trust, the locomotive currently wears an elegant (and slightly controversial) BR Lined Black, with an early crest on her tender.

Perhaps the most famous new-build steam locomotive, Tornado is a recreation of an LNER Peppercorn A1 pacific, completed in July 2008 by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust. She was the first new mainline steam locomotive to be built in Britain since the 1960s, and has regularly hauled excursions on the national network, alongside her various appearances at heritage railways across the UK.

Lady Of Legend was Built by the Great Western Society at Didcot, using the frames from the frames of Maindy Hall (a Great Western Hall locomotive). She is a recreation of George Jackson Churchward Saint Class 4-6-0 locomotive, one of the most influential Great Western designs, with the last original example being scrapped in in 1953. Completed in March 2019, she wears a stunning Edwardian era Great western lined green, making regular appearances at various heritage lines across the UK, alongside her home at the Didcot Railway Centre.

The final visitor, Betton Grange, is a recreation of a Grange locomotive, another of the Great Western 4-6-0s. similarly to Lady of legend, she was built using the boiler and frames from another Hall locomotive, steaming for the first time at Tyseley works in May 2024. She is currently based at Toddington on the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway, under the ownership of the 6880 Betton Grange Society. She is set to be overhauled for mainline operation in the next few years, and currently wears an early BR Lined Brunswick Green.

Across the weekend, an intensive timetable saw all four engines in action between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead, with double-headed workings on all three days. A lineup of all four newbuild locomotive also occurred at Horsted Keynes midafternoon on the Saturday, hence the rather empty afternoon timetable. Whilst not the busiest of galas, ‘Giants of Steam’ 2025 was a proud celebration of how far the heritage railway movement has come, and of the living legacy of steam in the 21st century.

Locomotives
LBSCR H2 Atlantic no. 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ (Completed June 2024)
LNER Peppercorn A1 no. 60163 ‘Tornado’ (Competed July 2008)
GWR (29XX) Saint no. 2999 ‘Lady Of Legend’ (Completed March 2019)
GWR (68XX) Grange no. 6880 ‘Betton Grange’ (Completed April 2024)

Locations
Sharpthorne Tunnel north portal (Viewed from station road foot crossing)
West Hoathly Station remains (Viewed from station road foot crossing)
Horsted Keynes (viewed from Leamland overbridge & station cottages)
Leamland Overbridge
Horsted Keynes Footpath

Chapters
0:00 – 1:11 32424 – Sharpthorne Tunnel
1:11 – 3:13 60163 – West Hoathly
3:13 – 4:54 6880 – Sharpthorne Tunnel
4:54 – 6:22 32424 – West Hoathly
6:22 – 7:19 2999 – Sharpthorne Tunnel
7:19 – 8:58 6880 – West Hoathly
8:58 – 10:02 60163 – Sharpthorne Tunnel
10:02 – 11:06 2999 Run Round – Horsted Keynes
11:06 – 11:48 32424 Arrival – Horsted Keynes
11:48 – 16:00 2999 Shunting – Horsted Keynes
16:00 – 17:11 60163 – Leamland Overbridge
17:11 – 19:33 60163 Run Round – Horsted Keynes
19:33 – 20:50 6880 Arrival – Horsted Keynes
20:50 – 21:03 Locomotive Lineup – Horsted Keynes
21:03 – 22:53 6880 Departure – Horsted Keynes
22:53 – 23:53 60163 & 32424 Crossover – Horsted Keynes
23:53 – 25:07 2999 – Horsted Keynes Footpath
25:07 – 26:21 6880 – Horsted Keynes Footpath
26:21 – 27:06 32424 & 60163 – Horsted Keynes Footpath
27:06 – 27:22 Outro

Filmed on the 18th October 2025 - Please ask for permission to use clips.

©SouthernRailSpotter – 2025