The Ribble Steam Railway is a particularly charismatic standard gauge steam railway.  It runs for one and a half miles through Preston Docks and fittingly given this location has a very large collection of industrial locomotives.  Indeed, many of you will be shocked to see how massive the fleet is (go to www.ribblesteam.org.uk/exhibits/locomotive-check-list to see for yourself!) The railway was opened in 2005, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that this is a completely new organisation – the depth of its collection and expertise goes back to the opening of the since closed Southport Railway Museum in 1973.  With one of the biggest locomotive collections in the UK, the Ribble Steam Railway deserves recognition as a big player in the heritage railway scene.

As 2015 is the 10th anniversary of its opening, the railway naturally are making plans for it to be celebrated in style.  Bagnall “Princess” on loan from the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway will be hauling services on 5th and 6th September 2015 for the line’s Birthday bash, that will include Real Ale being served on the buffet car.  Then on the 12th and 13th September 2015 the railway will be holding a steam gala weekend when four locomotives are planned to be in steam, including Bagnall’s Courageous and the aforementioned Princess to recreate scenes from Preston Docks.  Also in service will be recently restored Ex-Corby Steelworks Hawthorn Leslie 3931/1938 Linda.If you can’t wait until September, the line are holding a English Electric Weekend this coming Saturday and Sunday (8th & 9th August 2015.)  Without doubt English Electric are one of the most significant manufacturers of diesel and electric locomotives in the history of the UK’s railways.  Arguably the flagship of the firm is the famous English Electric DP1/1955 Deltic Prototype that was built in Preston 60 years ago.  English Electric had a large factory (the Dick, Kerr & Co. works) in Preston where they manufactured numerous products including the famous class 55 Deltics.  It is therefore very appropriate that the Deltic prototype be on loan from the National Railway Museum for this event at the Ribble Steam Railway, please click here for full details.