Historic steam engine once driven by King Charles III is coming to Leicester

An historic steam locomotive once driven by the King is coming to Leicester. Organisers say the journey will transport people back to the glory days of steam travel.

7029 Clun Castle was a regular express engine on the Western Region of British Railway, but its days became numbered with the switch to diesel. The historic engine, which was built in Swindon in 1950, was the last steam loco to pull the express from London Paddington in November 1965 before being withdrawn from service a month later.

The scrapyard then looked to be its final resting place, but it was saved by enthusiasts and restored. Its second lease of life has seen it become a marvel of the rails once more and even seen it driven by King Charles III as the then Prince of Wales took the controls in 1988 to mark the 150th anniversary of the London & Birmingham Railway.

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Clun Castle, named after the Shropshire castle of the same name, is a record breaker too. In 1964, the loco broke the record for the fastest trip between Plymouth and Bristol - a record previously held by City of Truro - widely believed to be the first engine to reach 100mph.

Now, 7029 Clun Castle, which comes in a gleaming green livery, is making a visit to Leicester as part of the special ‘Shakespeare Express’. The 74-year-old loco will journey from Leicester to Stratford on Sunday, July 14 on a two-and-a-half-hour journey that will transport passengers back to the glory days of steam trains.

The journey will also allow people to tuck into a “slap-up” English breakfast on their way to Stratford before passengers can explore the Warwickshire town. A spokesman said: “We won’t just be taking them to Warwickshire, we will also be transporting them back to the glorious days of steam during the 1950s. But we would advise people to book early if they don’t want to miss the train, for it’s likely to be a sell-out.”

7029 Clun Castle will arrive in Stratford at around 12.45pm and depart at 4.15pm. More information, including ticket prices, can be found on the Vintage Trains website.

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