Locomotives On The Move
Although a busy season is now in full swing at their Bitton station headquarters, the Avon Valley Railway has been able to respond to requests for assistance from two other preservation railways.
A 0-6-0 Hudswell Clarke tank engine No 70 has gone away for two weeks to the East Lancs Railway at Bury. They are celebrating twenty years of operation and No 70 spent some time there before coming to Bitton. In addition, with the agreement of the owner David Hurd, an electro-diesel "The Royal Alex" has been loaned to the Severn Valley Railway to help them in the repair work that resulted from the recent flooding. The SVR needed a diesel locomotive to help to haul earth, tools and other equipment to the area under reconstruction and the Avon Railway was very happy to oblige.
"The Royal Alex" is expected to return to Bitton at the end of the season. In the meantime, the company feel that they have sufficient back-up in their fleet of locomotives to cope through the rest of the summer.
From the end of July trains will be operating on five days a week and, in addition, Bitton station hosts a Vintage Bus Rally on 12th August and an Art Exhibition over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Click here for more information about the Avon Valley Railway
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