There will be a unique opportunity for photographers to take part in a charter with two steam locomotives, resident Jurassic and visitor Peter Pan on the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway on Friday 29th August 2025.
This will be the first time two steam locomotives have worked on the LCLR and the first time Jurassic and Peter Pan have appeared together since 1986. When the original LCLR at Humberston had already closed, Jurassic made a trip to the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway and appeared with Peter Pan at a gala there before going into storage for many years.
The line’s 1903-vintage 0-6-0ST Jurassic, built by the Bristol firm of Peckett & Sons Ltd for Kaye & Company’s quarries at Southam in Warwickshire, will be joined by the diminutive Peter Pan, owned by Graham Morris, of Daventry. It is one of the “Wren” type steam locos built by Kerr Stuart & Co. Ltd in Staffordshire in 1922, mainly used by contractors on lightly-laid tracks on construction sites.
The visit of Peter Pan, after its a tour of other railways in the UK and Belgium, will enable a photo charter to be operated for fee-paying enthusiasts on Friday 29th August. Both locomotives will be in steam on public services the following day at normal fares, celebrating the line’s 65th anniversary of opening.
Proceeds from the event will go towards the £25,000 appeal launched to pay for Jurassic’s statutory 10-year overhaul due at the end of next year’s operating season.
What is on offer:
Two sessions – with Peter Pan and the resident Jurassic: one in the morning and the second in the afternoon. Exact times will depend on when the locos have working steam pressure, but the organisers are aiming for a morning session (10.30 – 12.30) and an afternoon session (13.30 – 15.30). The participants will be welcome to arrive before 10:30 to see the locos being steamed and stay to see the locos being stabled for the night.
The morning session will focus on the depot, yard, Walls Lane and the first curve. It is planned to have trains on both the main line and the depot to Walls Lane road. The afternoon session will start with both locos and trains at Seathorne Bank (the new station at the south end of the line) working to the back of the airfield hanger and then Walls Lane and back to the shed. It is planned to prepare freight consists for the locos to haul. At some point in the afternoon, the trains will combine for a bit of double-heading.
The price:
£60 per participant.
Payment:
Should be made in advance by bank transfer to the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway Historic Vehicles Trust: sort code 16-20-28; a/c # 11154329 marked “Charter” with an email to [email protected] giving name and contact details, confirming payment. Places can also be booked by sending a cheque for £60, payable to LCLR Historic Vehicles Trust, to the LCLR, Skegness Water Leisure Park, Walls Lane, Ingoldmells, Skegness PE25 1JF.
Saturday 30 August 2025:
Participants will be invited to stay overnight in the area for the LCLR public service on Saturday when both locos will be in use – when for £10 they will be given day membership and unlimited free rides and lineside access (but must bring their own hi-vis vest).
Accommodation:
The Skegness Water Leisure Park, where the LCLR is based, has a variety of accommodation ranging from camping pitches (for tents, motor homes, touring caravans, to glamping pods, holiday cottages); it has refreshments available from the Coffee Shop, The Barn Inn and the General Store. Website https://skegnesswaterleisurepark.co.uk; Tel. 01754 899400.
Getting to the LCLR:
Skegness has direct train services from Nottingham, Grantham and Sleaford with connections from the rest of the UK via those stations; frequent buses from Skegness Interchange along the A52 towards Mablethorpe, Chapel St. Leonards and Ingoldmells connect with East Midlands Railway services, alight at Butlins and follow signs along Walls Lane to reach the site. By car, use the A52 (Nottingham-Skegness-Mablethorpe road) then turn into Walls Lane adjacent to Butlins and entering the Park, give your car details to Reception; what 3 words: chum.feeds.divider.
