Unusual visitor makes hall history

2:27pm Monday 11th June 2007

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A VISITOR boasting a million miles of history called at a Stourbridge country estate to celebrate an unusual connection.

Great Western locomotive 4930, which shares the name Hagley Hall with the stately home, stopped off at the hall on its way to rejoin the Severn Valley Railway.

The visit, on Friday June 8, was the first time the engine had called at its namesake landmark despite passing Stourbridge many times while in service.

The locomotive was built in 1929 and covered 1,330,000 miles before leaving the lines in October 1986, its return to area, after eight years on display in Swindon, is believed to mark a first in railway history.

David Wilcock, from Severn Valley Railway, said: "Great Western named hundreds of locomotives after stately homes but we don't think there has ever been a previous incident of a locomotive going to the home after which it was named."

The engine made its detour to the hall while being transported by road to a new £5m Severn Valley Railway visitor centre at Highley which is set to open on Wednesday August 1.

Hagley Hall will be one of up to ten locomotives on display at the centre although plans are in place for the engine to pull trains in the next three or four years.