The Steam Dreams Rail Co blog
Nostalgic Days Out by Steam
Calling all Galatea fans! LMS engine hauls next two Cathedrals Express trips
Posted bysteamdreamsclaire March 14, 2017 Posted inUncategorized
With just a week to go, we are delighted to announce that LMS Jubilee Class 5699 Galatea is now rostered to haul the trip from London to Salisbury, Bath and Gloucester on Tuesday 21 March. The locomotive will also head The Cathedrals Express from Kettering and Bedford to Bath and Bristol on Saturday 1 April, from West London.
On Tuesday 21 March, The Cathedrals Express steam train will take passengers on a nostalgic journey to the West Country, with a choice of three fabulous destinations to visit. Our impressive engine will gradually pick up speed as it takes the burden from London through the picturesque Hampshire and Wiltshire countryside, before pulling into Salisbury Station at around 10:30. You can either alight here to visit this attractive cathedral city or continue on to either Bath or Gloucester. After exploring your chosen city, you will re-join The Cathedrals Express (around 16:35 in Gloucester, 18:00 in Bath or 19:30 in Salisbury), as Galatea re-traces her steps back home.
Click here to find out more about the trip.
Galatea at Carlisle station in 2015
For the first time, on Saturday 1 April, The Cathedrals Express will start out from Kettering and take locals on a nostalgic journey to the West Country, to visit either Bath or Bristol.
The train will depart from Kettering at around 07:00, hauled initially by a vintage diesel engine and will also call at Wellingborough (07:10), before making its way towards West London. From here, Galatea will take over, heading out through the picturesque Kennet Valley and into Wiltshire. The train will pull in to Bath at approximately 13:10, giving passengers several hours to explore this lovely Georgian city, or if they wish they can stay on the train to Bristol (arrives 13:30).
After exploring their chosen city, passengers will re-join The Cathedrals Express at 16:30 in Bristol or 17:00 in Bath, when Galatea will re-trace her steps back as far as West London, where diesel will once again take over. The Cathedrals Express will arrive back in Kettering at approximately 22:10 (Wellingborough at 22:00).
Galatea steams through Shropshire in 2016
About Galatea
LMS Jubilee Class 5699 Galatea was built at Crewe in April 1936.
The engine was named Galatea after HMS Galatea, which in turn was named after the Galatea of mythology, the Goddess of Calm Seas. After nationalisation in 1948, it was renumbered 45699 by British Railways.
After being withdrawn in 1964 it was stored at Eastleigh Works in December 1964 and remained there until January of the following year when it was moved by rail to Barry Scrapyard, Galatea was rescued in 1980 from Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, South Wales by the late Brian Oliver and was moved to The Severn Valley Railway originally to provide a spare boiler for preserved sister engine 45690 Leander.
It made a return to steam in April 2013 on test runs around the Hellifield circle. Galatea made its railtour debut on 19 May 2013 working a private charter from King's Lynn to Norwich.
It is now operational on the main line running steam specials, and as of 2014 is in British Railways maroon livery.
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