Last Chance to Ride Behind Baldwin Icon Before Withdrawal

Baldwin 10-12-D 4-6-0T WDLR No. 778 will make its final appearance in steam before withdrawal during a special 26 October 2025 event at the Leighton Buzzard Railway.

Leighton Buzzard Railway’s end of season Halloween jamboree will also feature De Winton 0-4-0VBTs Taffy (visiting from Alan Keef Ltd) and LBR-based Chaloner, together with Kerr Stuart ‘Wren’ 0-4-0ST Peter Pan making four locos in steam for the day.

Owned by The Greensand Railway Museum Trust (a registered charity) No. 778 has run at the Leighton Buzzard Railway since it was restored to operation in 2007. The 26 October event is scheduled to be the last opportunity for people to ride behind this iconic World War One locomotive before its boiler ticket expires on 30 November.

No. 778 will then be withdrawn for its second 10-year overhaul under GRMT custodianship. ‘We aim to ensure the overhaul of No. 778 is undertaken as rapidly as possible,’ commented Greensand Railway Museum Trust chairman, Cliff Thomas. ‘The Leighton Buzzard Railway, a line built with WW1 surplus equipment and opened in 1919 with its extensive collection of WW1 era locomotives and stock is the perfect home for No. 778 and doubtless will remain so into the foreseeable future. Our loco has been pulling LBR trains since 2007 and the trustees hope the required overhaul can be completed as quickly as possible to enable that to resume.

‘The one factor which could hold up its return is available finance so any help people can contribute would be hugely appreciated by the trust and the railway.’

Donations towards the cost of overhauling No. 778 can be sent to GRMT c/o Pages Park station to be paid into a GRMT 778 Restricted Fund held by LBR.