First public appearance of Gwalior Pacific locomotive

The Vale of Rheidol Railway are pleased to announce that a rare locomotive will be on display over the coming August Bank Holiday weekend. 

Gwalior Pacific No.762 has out of the public gaze for over four decades, having been stored under cover in a private collection. It remains in ‘as withdrawn’ condition, and is effectively a time capsule of it’s time in India.

The locomotive will be put on temporary display at Aberystwyth station over the August Bank Holiday weekend (24th-26th August 2024) as part of the line’s Rheidol Steam Festival event.

No.762 was built in 1932, and is known as a ‘pacific’ locomotive (owing to it’s wheel arrangement). It worked on the Gwalior Pacific Railway in Central India, which (until it’s closure in 2020) was the longest 2′ gauge railway in the world.

Trips on the Gwalior line were often long, sometimes including an overnight portion of the journey: No.762 therefore used to carry a special wooden box on the running plate, allowing it’s driver and fireman to carry food and clean sets of clothes for the journey.

Indian locomotive crews often used to decorate or personalised their locos, to show pride in their steeds: No.762 retains a few modifications from this era, including decorative flames on the smokebox!

The engine will be displayed outdoors over the August Bank Holiday weekend at Aberystwyth station, as one of the attractions at the ‘Rheidol Steam Festival’ event. Other attractions include book signings, ‘Drive an Engine’ experiences and all available locomotives in steam, as well as rides behind the visiting 160-year old steam loco ‘Palmerston’.

Following the event, No.762 will be put back into store: however, the Vale of Rheidol Railway will be announcing further plans for this locomotive later in 2024.