60007 ‘SIR NIGEL GRESLEY’ and DOUBLE BULLEIDS top the bill at the Watercress Autumn Gala! | 05.10.25

Following three consecutive days at the Severn Valley Railway Class 37 65th anniversary event this weekend,    • Now That's What I Call Hellfire! '65 Years...      • EPR 37423 joins the party at the Severn Va...      • The party continues! Action from Day 3 of ...   Sunday saw a change of pace as we headed to the Watercress Line for their Autumn Steam Gala.

This event boasted a very good line up with 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ headlining, 34059 ‘Sir Archibald Sinclair’ visiting from the Bluebell Railway, supported by the Watercress Line home fleet SR Merhant Navy 35005 ‘Canadian Pacific’, S15 30506 and LMS Ivatt 41312, with 1788 ‘Kilmersdon’ shunting in Ropley Yard and 850 ‘Lord Nelson’ on static display.

Not since the 1990s has 60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ worked on the Watercress Line, and sister 60019 ‘Bittern’ went out of traffic in 2015 so it’s been some time since an A4 has been seen or heard chiming through the Hampshire countryside.

The A4 star turn certainly drew bumper crowds, with stations and bridges packed wherever it was passing, lots photographers out in the fields and trains full and standing throughout most of Sunday! 34059 was also a great addition to the line up working alongside Merchant Navy classmate 35005, culminating in a Bulleid double headed working this evening heading through Ropley to Alton.

There was a lot happening, even on the Ropley miniature gauge railway where a 10¼ inch LMS Stanier Mogul and LMS Royal Scot were in steam, both visiting from the South Downs Light Railway, and it was really great to see the Mid Hants so busy today, certainly a great line up, with lots of intensive services, freight trains, local services, lots of sales stands to explore and a generally great atmosphere topped off by good weather during a thoroughly enjoyable gala!

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