Second Valve Steam

Second Valve Steam The official page of Second Valve Steam:

Capturing the very best of Britain's mainline and preserved railways.

‘All Change For Maespoeth Junction’Whilst in Wales for the Bala Lake Railway’s ‘August Steam Gala’ last weekend, I took ...
05/09/2026

‘All Change For Maespoeth Junction’

Whilst in Wales for the Bala Lake Railway’s ‘August Steam Gala’ last weekend, I took the opportunity to pop over to the Corris Railway for the first time.

Running south from the Aberllefenni to Machynlleth, the railway opened in 1878 and stretched just over eleven miles, serving the slate quarries along the Dulas Valley. A longtime loss-maker, British Railways ceased operations over the network on 20 August 1948, citing the recent flooding of the River Dyfi as an excuse. However, that wasn’t the end of the story.

Preservationists formed the Corris Railway Society in 1968, aiming to rescue what remained of the route. Public trains resumed in 2002, but since the surviving original locomotives now reside at the Talyllyn Railway, two brand-new engines were constructed especially for the line. The latest of these, No.10, is a Hughes Falcon built by Alan Keef Ltd in 2022. More than seventy-five years on, the Corris Railway once again has a pair of engines to call their own.

Today, the Corris Railway runs for just under a mile, but the society has big ambitions in the pipeline. Plans are afoot to extend a further mile-and-a-half south towards Tan-Y-Coed. The current extension to Pont Evans is already taking shape. You can help by visiting https://www.corris.co.uk/the-future/southern-extension/ to find out more. No.10 stands at Corris on a wet Bank Holiday Monday. 31/08/26. #10

The Corris Railway

01/09/2026

'In The Loop'

Having stopped to allow the down train to pass, Quarry Hunslets 'Hugh Napier' and 'Alice' steam out of Llangower loop and into the platform during the Bala Lake Railway's 'August Steam Gala'.

Watch the full video now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VL7wCbRi79E?si=ouJT-boEEba43hH

Bala Lake Railway / Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid

‘Small, Far Away’There might be no sign of Father Ted’s caravan, but the sheer scope of this image might lead you to bel...
29/08/2026

‘Small, Far Away’

There might be no sign of Father Ted’s caravan, but the sheer scope of this image might lead you to believe this was a model!

BR Standard 2MT 78018 (from the Darlington Railway Preservation Society and the Great Central Railway) is dwarfed amonst the Pennines as she departs Kirkby Stephen East during the Stainmore Railway Company’s ‘S&DR200 Steam Gala’. 23/08/25. #78018

- ‘An ‘England’ In Wales’When the narrow gauge line from Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge opened in 1902, its original pu...
27/08/2026

- ‘An ‘England’ In Wales’

When the narrow gauge line from Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge opened in 1902, its original purpose was to carry lead down from the Rheidol Valley to the coast. However, a significant growth in tourism meant that passengers services soon eclipsed mineral traffic.

Such was the level of the tourist trade that the line’s two original engines, built by Davies and Metcalfe (as well as a second-hand Bagnall), could not cope with the increased demand. This necessitated hiring in George England 0-4-0TT ‘Palmerston’ from the Ffestiniog Railway for five seasons between 1912 and 1922. The following year, the Great Western Railway produced three new 2-6-2 tanks designed specifically for the line.

In 2024, ‘Palmerston’ returned to the Vale of Rheidol for only the second time in over a century. The railway held their ‘Rheidol Steam Festival’ over the August bank holiday weekend; its first gala event in over ten years. Having just dodged a heavy downpour, ‘Palmerston’ glides into Aberffrwyd with a late afternoon service for Pontarfynach.

Vale of Rheidol Railway
Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

‘You Wait For One, Then Four Come At Once!’The East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Small Engines Weekend’ in February was an enjo...
22/08/2026

‘You Wait For One, Then Four Come At Once!’

The East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Small Engines Weekend’ in February was an enjoyable if slightly over-ambitious event, with a packed timetable showcasing up to fourteen steam and diesel locomotives.

On Saturday, the locomotive allocations quickly became muddled and numerous trains were cancelled without warning, causing up to ninety minutes of delays. Sunday started off more promising, but heavy rain was beginning to sweep across Greater Manchester.

As I stood in Castlecroft Yard late in the afternoon, there was only one thing on my mind: the final train of the gala - a quadruple-header. Would it be steam? Would the weather relent? Would it even run at all?

Imagine my smile when four brightly-coloured engines burst out of Bury Tunnel. Borrows Well Tanks ‘The King’ (visiting from the Ribble Steam Railway) and ‘Willy The Well Tank’ (from The Flour Mill) teamed up with residents LMS ‘Pug’ 11243 and Andrew Barclay ‘J.N Derbyshire’ in spectacular fashion. 22/02/26. ***y

Ribble Steam Railway & Museum
East Lancashire Railway

- ‘Rain, Rain Go Away’The past two months have seen one of the hottest summers on record, placing unprecedented demand...
20/08/2026

- ‘Rain, Rain Go Away’

The past two months have seen one of the hottest summers on record, placing unprecedented demands on heritage railways and seeing steam outright banned from mainline operation until conditions improve.

However, this morning, many of us woke up to the delightful pitter-patter of rain on our rooftops, finally breaking the dry spell and providing Britain with some much needed nourishment. This will hopefully see videos recommence in the near future.

Whilst downpours can be very atmospheric, they aren’t much fun to film in. After a day of dry weather, the heavens open as LMS Black Five 5428 ‘Eric Treacy’ takes a teatime freight through Esk Valley during the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s ‘Annual Steam Gala’ in 2024.

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

‘Mogul’ Goes Mainline’Recently, we received the surprise news that LMS Stanier ‘Mogul’ 13268 is set return to mainline o...
15/08/2026

‘Mogul’ Goes Mainline’

Recently, we received the surprise news that LMS Stanier ‘Mogul’ 13268 is set return to mainline operation for the first time since the late 1990s.

Working in partnership with Vintage Trains and the Severn Valley Railway, the engine is scheduled to make her mainline debut at the head of ‘The Worcester Shakespeare Express’ on Sunday 8 November.

Reminiscent of her working career as a mixed traffic engine, 13268 steams under Beeches Road with an empty minerals service on a visit to the Great Central Railway. 05/10/25.

Stanier Mogul Fund

‘Spotting Red Flags’Long before the introduction of automatic warning barriers, many minor level crossings simply featur...
08/08/2026

‘Spotting Red Flags’

Long before the introduction of automatic warning barriers, many minor level crossings simply featured a member of railway staff flagging down the traffic. This basic method remained in place across countless plants, quarries and collieries around the UK for over a century.

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0WT 1994 ‘Glyder’ (on loan from Graham Morris and Beamish Museum) trundles over the entrance road during a 30742 Charters event at Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum. 23/07/26.

Beamish Museum
Threlkeld Quarry and Mining Museum

- ‘The Last Day Of Steam’Sunday 4 August 1968 was earmarked by British Rail as the final day of ‘normal’ steam operati...
04/08/2026

- ‘The Last Day Of Steam’

Sunday 4 August 1968 was earmarked by British Rail as the final day of ‘normal’ steam operation. By now, almost all steam locomotives had been consigned to the scrapyard, save for a select few chosen to haul the day’s services.

The Stephenson Locomotive Society booked two separate ten-coach trains to run from Birmingham via Manchester Victoria to Huddersfield, returning via Copy Pit, Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan and Rainford. The Railway Correspondence and Travel Society organised an express special from London Euston to Skipton. Likewise, The Locomotive Club of Great Britain ran their own trip from London, departing from St Pancras bound for Carnforth.

Outside of private charters, BR’s London Midland Region arranged their own tour, 1T85, dubbed ‘Last Days Of Steam’, a comparatively simple journey from Manchester Victoria to Southport and return. Motive power for this trip was LMS Stanier ‘Black Five’ 45305, which went on to be rostered for the seminal ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ one week later (although the engine wound up failing the night before with a collapsed brick arch). She was subsequently preserved by the Draper family and is currently undergoing overhaul at the Great Central Railway.

5305 Locomotive Trust
Great Central Railway

‘The Greatest Gathering’This weekend marks one year since ‘The Greatest Gathering’ - the largest temporary exhibition of...
01/08/2026

‘The Greatest Gathering’

This weekend marks one year since ‘The Greatest Gathering’ - the largest temporary exhibition of rolling stock in the world.

For three days in August, over one hundred-and-forty locomotives and units assembled at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane Works, celebrating two hundred years of the modern railway and welcoming over forty-thousand visitors through the gates.

Throughout the event, it’s worth noting that one of the world’s oldest steam engines met one of the newest! S&DR ‘Locomotion’ of 1825 stands next to new-build BR Standard 3MT 2-6-2T 82045, currently under construction at the Severn Valley Railway. 01/08/26. #82045

National Railway Museum
The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust

Address

The Station, Abbey Rd
Llangollen
LL20 8SN

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Second Valve Steam posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category