ONE of the fastest and most powerful British steam locomotives will haul this summer’s first Daily Post mainline excursion from Liverpool on Saturday.
The record-breaking, 87-year-old No 6201 Princess Elizabeth, which was once based at Edge Hill Shed, will pull the Cumbrian Mountain Express to Carlisle. Departing at 8am, this is the first of three return trips from Lime Street over the dramatic Settle & Carlisle Railway.
The Daily Post steam programme features destinations no longer reached by direct services from Liverpool.
Two North Wales Coast Expresses will travel direct to Llandudno town, making very rare detours along the Llandudno branch to the resort before reversing to continue to Holyhead.
These trains will be hauled by Princess Coronation class No 6233 Duchess of Sutherland in her last month of operation before withdrawal for a major overhaul.
Holiday camp mogul Sir Billy Butlin saved Duchess of Sutherland from the scrapyard when he bought her direct from Edge Hill Shed in 1964. Four trains will run from Preston, Warrington, Frodsham and Chester to Blaenau Ffestiniog, via the spectacularly steep and twisting Conwy Valley line, on July 28, August 11, 18 and 25.
The jewel in the crown will be the West Highlander Steam Express, the first ever three-night tour from Liverpool to Glasgow, Fort William, Mallaig and Oban, on September 3-6.
The first leg to Glasgow and return to Preston will be hauled by Royal Scot class No 46115 Scots Guardsman, built in 1927 and featured in the seminal documentary The Night Mail.
Nigel Dobbing, of Railway Touring Company, which is organising the steam trains, said: “Steam on the mainline has a very fragile future.
“Each year could be the last year, so we do our best to make sure there is something special each time.
“These trips have wonderful scenery, as Liverpool is a great starting point either for going over the Pennine mountains or along the North Wales coast.
“The West Highlander Steam Express is by far the most complex tour we’ve done from Liverpool, and probably won’t be done again.”
l THE Daily Post has a £5 special reader offer discount on steam excursions from Liverpool – please quote three letter codes. The Cumbrian Mountain Express July 24, August 7, 21 (also picks up St Helens Central, Wigan NW) quote code LZZ; The North Wales Coast Express August 8, 22 (also picks up Broad Green, Warrington BQ) quote code HOY. Save £25 per person on the four-day West Highlander Steam Express quote code SCT. To book, call 01553 661 500.
