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Saturday 21st August 2021 Didcot Parkway Station, Station Rd, Didcot OX11 7NR

Join us for an evening of steam photography featuring visiting Lambton Tank No.29 of 1904 vintage

We are delighted to offer a late afternoon and evening event at Didcot Railway Centre featuring attractive Lambton 0-6-2T No.29 of 1904 vintage which is on a short working visit from its North Yorkshire home

£70.00

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About this event

We are delighted to present the unusual opportunity of photographing visiting Lambton Tank No.29 on a late afternoon and evening charter at the Great Western Society’s Didcot Museum during its short working visit.

This locomotive is a long way from its normal home of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and appearances this far south are rare! We plan to use the locomotive initially on the branch line with two or three wagons on shunting scenes before taking No.29 to the turntable and then on to the shed. We hope to start the event slightly earlier than usual at circa 16.00 to make best use of the available light on the branch before the Summer sun (subject to availability) dips begins to cast shadows over the track.

No.29 was built by Kitson for the Lambton, Heaton and Joicey Colliery and entered traffic at Philadelphia Colliery, County Durham in 1904. It was the first 0-6-2T to work that extensive system and does not have a class as such, being one of the locomotives specifically built for the system it worked. The locomotive has an unusually shaped rounded cab which allowed it to work through a narrow tunnel to the Lampton coal staithes at Sunderland; the engines on the system were also allowed to run over the main line en route to the quaysides at Sunderland. No.29 remained active until 1969 when it was withdrawn a year after receiving a full overhaul having been in service for some 75 years. Since entering preservation in 1970, the Lambton Tank has become a regular performer on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway which is also home to another former Philadelphia 0-6-2T loco, No.5. The engine now carries an extremely smart light green livery with L H & J C lettering.

For once, we are not running this as an authentic recreation (though the shots inside the shed could just as easily be the North East as the South Midlands) but as this handsome locomotive is making a rare appearance in the south, we thought many would welcome the opportunity to photograph No.29 while it is visiting the area. We plan to sheet over at least two open wagons to disguise their Great Western origin and include some shunting scenes on the branch, pose the loco on the turntable and then take 29 inside the shed for more shots under lights. As we are, unusually, using an industrial locomotive, we will also try to include the Museum’s Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns No.7544 0-4-0ST Bonnie Prince Charlie of 1949 in at least one of the scenes; this loco also carries a (slightly darker) lined green livery.

As an aside, this will be the second time within a month that an engine with a Philadelphia connection will feature on a TimeLine event at Didcot. In addition to No.29 which worked at Philadelphia, County Durham, S160 Class No.6046 which features in our 31st July event was built by Baldwin at Philadelphia in the USA. You will, of course, want to book both events for completeness!

This will be an evening with a difference in terms of motive power and we hope you will wish to join us in August to photograph this fine machine in action.

Currently all of our events will run in line with our Covid-19 policy that follows government guidelines. You can find our Covid-19 policy information page here.

Event requirements

Equipment

  • Spare batteries
  • Camera
  • Lenses
  • Camera protection - rain covers etc

Knowledge

  • All levels welcome

Fitness

  • Medium

Other essentials

  • Sturdy outdoor shoes
  • Wet weather gear

Event location