Special visitor

Richard Wyatt

Attention all you steam engine enthusiasts. Rob Coles tells me:

On Saturday next – 11th December – a rather special steam train will call at Bath. It’s the Merchant Venturer. The 1950’s train of that name ran from London to Bath and Bristol. 

 The excursion – organised by Vintage Trains – will travel from Solihull via Leamington Spa and  Swindon to Bath and Bristol.  It is of particular note, as the locomotive will be 7029 Clun Castle. 

  The loco hauled the official Farewell to Steam excursion through Bath fifty-six years ago, almost to the very day, as recorded by the Bath Chronicle who used my photo taken from the yard of Oldfield School.

An attempt was made to replicate the photo in December 2019, when 7029 visited, but due to buildings and vegetation, it was not possible to copy it exactly. The train is due to arrive at Bath Spa at 12.44 and 17.22 

Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.

2 Comments

  1. Thanks for letting us know about the visiting steam train through Bath today. Thought you might be interested to see the attached picture which I took from my window on the Wells Road. Not quite the same place as the one in your article, but close by.Best wishes,Dinah AshleySent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

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