The Ribble Steam Railway (RSR)'Guild Reunion' event 4,5th August 2012. 11th July 2012

The Ribble Steam Railway (RSR) has announced that it is to hold a 'Guild Reunion' event over the weekend of 4th ,5th August, featuring the first visit preservation-era visit of a London Midland region locomotive to the dockside line.
Preston has a proud history surrounding its world famous Guild festival, a celebration that is held only once every 20 years. It is also known to generations of railway enthusiasts as the last stronghold of steam; indeed, Lostock Hall engine shed, on the outskirts of the town (which was officially granted 'city' status in 2002) was the very last MPD to prepare and service steam locomotives for regular passenger and freight trains on 4th August 1968. With 2012 Guild year once again, the RSR hopes to reunite a number of old faces from this era.
Star of the show will be 'Jinty' No. 47472, which was the Preston station pilot for the bulk of the 1950s and 1960s. This locomotive seemed to be a permanent fixture in the busy station environs, and was thus dubbed 'City of Preston' by a generation of spotters. With the original locomotive sadly having been scrapped in 1967, classmate No. 47406 will be specially renumbered and provided with an appropriate 10B (Preston) shedplate for one weekend only.
A reunion is also being held over the weekend for former steam enginemen of Lancashire, and is open to all those who worked in the county’s motive power depots prior to August 1968. Anyone interested in attending this event can obtain more information by e-mailing andrew@preservedrailways.org.uk or by telephoning 07595 728289.
Further appropriate transport will be present at the event, as the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust has agreed to provide a heritage bus link from Preston city centre to the line using a variety of vehicles from its fleet of former Ribble Motor Services vehicles. It is also expected that a privately-owned Leyland PD2 double-decker, in the livery of local bus operator John Fishwick & Sons, will take part in the proceedings.
Adding to this two-day celebration of Preston’s railway history will be a book launch for two new local railway titles from Atkinson Publications. ‘The London & North Western Railway around Preston’ is the second book from author Bob Gregson, and is packed with interesting photographs and anecdotes about the main lines through the city and, the development of the present station. It is the perfect companion to his previous title, ‘The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway around Preston’, which is now sold out. ‘The Railways of Preston – Half a Century of Change’ has been written and compiled by RSR volunteer Andrew Fowler, and as its name suggests, this book charts the changing face of the railway scene in the area since the mid-1950s. Both authors will be on hand to sign copies of the books during the weekend.
A photo charter featuring No. 47472 is also planned to take place during the locomotive’s stay in Preston. This is being organised by 30742 Charters, and full details can be obtained by e-mailing Mail.30742@btinternet.com. The cost of the full-day event will be £35.
The Ribble Steam Railway has expressed its gratitude at the kind assistance given by the locomotive’s owner Roger Hibbert, and by the Great Central Railway, whose endeavours have made the event possible.