2857’s 100th birthday was celebrated on 2nd and 3rd June 2018. This involved 2857 running with all the operable wagons from the ‘813 Fund’ collection showing freight trains as they were, while a GB Railfreight class 66 diesel electric pulling three air-braked hoppers represented a foreshortened version of 2018’s equivalent. The Saturday was rounded off by 2857 hauling a highly enjoyable dining train consisting of the SVR/GWA restaurant cars for Society members in the evening.

Another milestone for the loco was reached on 18th September 2018 when she clocked up 100,000 preservation miles, achieved with some celebratory whistle blowing and a few pints of Bewdley Brewery’s ‘2857 Beer’ in the train!

There had been reports in June of the left hand injector blowing back. A repair was attempted, but in August the fault returned. Unfortunately there was not then an opportunity to carry out a further repair before a visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway Gala Weekend at the end of September. As a result the injector continued to be troublesome but the NYMR crews seemed to take the problem in their stride. The extremely successful visit was effectively a ‘return match’ for North Eastern Locomotive Group’s 100 year old Q6 0-8-0 which had visited the SVR Gala.

Unfortunately some damage occurred to the fallplate, the hinged flap between engine and tender, probably when loading the engine onto the low-loader for the return to the SVR. The clack was fully serviced in October, after which it was hoped the injector problem was solved. There then followed a visit to the East Lancashire Railway, another great success for our centenarian.

The annual mileage for 2018 was 8,210 miles – a remarkable achievement considering she didn’t re-enter traffic until the end of May and testament to the quality of the overhaul carried out by Bridgnorth at the beginning of the year.

The cumulative preservation mileage was 102,157miles at the end of 2018.