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Grand opening for Apedale Valley Light Railway

A Grand Opening Gala will be held on 18 and 19 September. This will be the official opening for the railway. Plans for this gala are now being finalised, and a wide variety of attractions are expected. In particular, no fewer than three steam locomotives will be seen at work on the Apedale Valley Light Railway. These will be Kerr Stuart locomotive 'Stanhope', Hunslet' Edward Sholto' and vertical boiler locomotive 'Paddy'. 'Stanhope' will now be a permanent resident of Apedale, and will initially be the main steam locomotive for the Apedale Valley Light Railway. 'Edward Sholto' is one of the famed Quarry Hunslets; repatriated from the USA in 2006, it has been immaculately restored, and has visited a number of UK heritage railways already. 'Paddy' is a vertical boiler locomotive, and recently performed with aplomb at the Ffestiniog Railway’s 'Quirks & Curiosities' event.

The Moseley Railway Trust’s huge collection of industrial narrow gauge locomotives and artefacts will be on display, and it is planned to run a service of demonstration freight trains to allow some of the collection a chance to stretch its legs.

The Aurora North building will be used for a wide range of trade and model exhibits. We are fortunate to be hosting some of the UK’s best-known narrow gauge model railway layouts, and we are confident that these will be a major attraction in their own right.

The MRT’s neighbours on the site, the Apedale Heritage Centre, will be conducting tours of their coal mine attraction, and doubtless the famous cafe will be kept busy by visitors keen to try the famous Staffordshire Oatcakes.

The event will be open from 11am to 5pm on each day. Admission, including a train ride, will be £5 for adults and £2.50 for children. Keep watching the press or the news pages of www.mrt.org.uk for further updates!