The Marston Vale Line is set to welcome a special guest on Wednesday 26th April 2023 when 61306 Mayflower will be travelling through en route from London Victoria to Chesterfield for Chatsworth House and Barrow Hill Roundhouse.
Mayflower is one of two surviving B1 Class locomotives. The B1s worked across most of the UK rail network from East Anglia to Scotland.
Mayflower will be calling at Bletchley at 09:20 and Ridgmont at 09:40 where she is expected to be for 20 – 30 minutes to allow passengers to board and take on water.
Check out the Steam Dreams website for the full itinerary and to book tickets.
Please note whilst Mayflower is rostered for the journey it cannot be guaranteed, and nay be substituted for a different engine.
Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre will be open from 8am for the occasion. There will be a special hot takeaway menu. Please 01525 287120 or e-mail tearoom@bedsrcc.org.uk for details.
Please note parking at Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre is limited. Please use public transport, cycle, walk or car share if you can.
Alternatively photographs of Mayflower can be taken at other stations along the Marston Vale Line.
Please stand behind the yellow line and under no circumstances go onto the track.
We would love to see your photographs of our special visitor. Please send to officer@marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk
The return journey will be diesel hauled by a Class 47.
Mayflower (locomotive only) will be making its return journey back to London via the Marston Vale Line on Thursday 27th April, calling at Ridgmont at 14:26 where she is expected to be for 15 minutes to take on water.