BR, Standard 7 ‘Britannia’ Class, 4-6-2, 70013 ‘Oliver Cromwell’ – Era 5

BR, Standard 7 ‘Britannia’ Class, 4-6-2, 70013 ‘Oliver Cromwell’ – Era 5

70013 Oliver Cromwell famously took part in the very last British Rail Steam rail tour, the ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ on 11 August 1968 and was withdrawn from service the following day. The locomotive’s final trip in BR service being to Norwich via Doncaster, then on to Diss from where it was transferred by road to Alan Bloom’s Bressingham Steam Museum on 19th August.

Part of the National Collection, at Bressingham 70013 Oliver Cromwell continued in use on a 200 yard track, giving guards van and footplate rides and ran until 1973, when it was moved to the museum. 70013 Oliver Cromwell remained at Bressingham until the long-term loan agreement was terminated and left East Anglia on 21 May 2004, travelling by road to York, before heading to Loughborough and the Great Central Railway for a thorough overhaul. 70013 Oliver Cromwell returned to passenger service on 3rd May 2008 and worked until the final day of 2018, the locomotive’s boiler certificate expiring on 1 January 2019.

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