A DUO of Panniers, a Hall Class and a famous narrow-gauge face will launch what the Severn Valley Railway has called ‘one of its most exciting years for heritage rail fans’ at its Spring Steam Gala.

This year’s highly-anticipated festival of steam, from Friday, March 18, to Sunday, March 20, will kick-off a year filled with new and enhanced events, grand openings and famous visitors at the SVR.

The event will see a feast of visiting Great Western Railway locomotives steaming up and down the Kidderminster to Bridgnorth heritage line alongside the SVR’ own engines.

A former Kidderminster resident not seen in the area since 1940 returns to its original haunt after 76 years away. Pannier Tank No. 6430 was preserved in 1966 as a kit of spare parts for two other locomotives, but was returned to steam in 2003. Fellow Pannier Tank No. 6412 makes its first visit to the SVR.

Next in the line-up is one of the Great Western’s famous named engines No. 6990 Witherslack Hall. Built in 1948, it was used in the Locomotive Exchange Trials between Bristol and Plymouth, which saw engines from the ‘Big Four’ competing to see which locomotive designs worked the best, helping British Railways to build new and improved locomotives.

Completing the quartet of visitors is one of a much smaller scale, ‘Peter Sam’. Travelling from the famous Talyllyn Railway in West Wales, 1921 built No. 4 Edward Thomas is a narrow gauge locomotive that will be steaming on a temporary track at the Engine House Visitor Centre.

Starring alongside the visitors, the SVR’s iconic home fleet of locomotives will also be in action, including newly overhauled No. 7802 Bradley Manor and No. 34027 Taw Valley.

An added attraction over the weekend will be the official opening of an all-new exhibition featuring paintings of famous railway artist, Terence Cuneo. The grand opening takes place on March 18 in the Engine Visitor House, with free entry to gala ticket holders.

Lewis Maddox, events co-ordinator, said: “2016 is really shaping up to be an amazing year for both steam and diesel enthusiasts at the SVR.

“A fantastic and varied quartet of visiting locomotives heading to our Spring Steam Gala is the perfect way to kick-off this exciting season, which is filled with new steam events like Steam on the Road as well as our re-vamped Diesel Festival. What a year it’s going to be.”

Tickets for the Spring Steam Gala can be pre-booked on svr.co.uk or by calling 01562 757900.