Leighton Buzzard Railway brewing up 'Coffee Pot' locomotive festival
Leighton Buzzard Railway (LBR) will be holding "an extravaganza of vertical boiler locomotives" – known as ‘Coffee Pots’ – during a special festival next year.
At centre stage – celebrating it’s 150th birthday – will be the Fisher family’s 1877 vintage ex-Pen-yr-Orsedd slate quarry 'De Winton 0-4-0VBT Chaloner' – which became the first locomotive to steam at LBR since the 1920s and remains a Leighton Buzzard icon.
The event is a revival of the Bedfordshire line's ‘Coffee Pot Fest’ held in 2011, and will take place from May 15 to 16.
A LBR spokesman said: "Plans being developed for the May 2027 ‘Coffee Pot Fest II’ envisage up to six VBTs (vertical boiler tanks) being in steam.
"Visiting locos booked so far are 0-4-0VBT Taffy from Alan Keef Ltd and Bressingham-based 2015-built 0-4-0VBT Fernilee.
"Talks are in progress concerning more guest locos with further announcements anticipated over the coming months."
LBR is also planning a special photographic day on May 14 for pre-booked participants, allowing them to take pictures of trains hauled by ‘Coffee Pots’ at Page’s Park and on the demonstration lines at Stonehenge Works (without the general public present).
The spokesman added: "In addition, there will be model engineering-size ‘Coffee Pots’ in action on the 5in/7.25in gauge miniature railway at Stonehenge Works.
"It is hoped to have a 16mm gauge line for smaller models to show their paces and there is the possibility of smaller scales also being represented.
"Planning is still in the early stages, but other exciting and unusual possibilities are on the cards – watch out for further announcements closer to the time."
Owners of ‘Coffee Pots’ can email [email protected] for the chance to get involved.