Fans of Terriers will be disappointed with provisional plans for Bodiam in 2008, notwithstanding its scheduled trip to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway at Easter 

Initial steaming intentions for the K&ESR this year see it in use over the Branch Line Weekend of 15th & 16th of March after which its heads west for Easter at the B&WR.  The engine is not scheduled to reappear until the early May Bank Holiday weekend Gala, 3rd, 4th & 5th.  For the Forties Weekend a fortnight later, P-class No.753 and No.3 will share traffic with the Terrier only intended for Sunday 18th May

Late May Bank Holiday use is intended over all three days, 24th to 26th after which Bodiam is lined-up to complete its current wash-out cycle with two RXD towards the end of June

With No.753 planned to be the mainstay of Vintage Train services throughout the High season, the engine is so far only set to work on Monday 11th August before a September RXD and then starring at the Hoppers’ Weekend immediately after, 13th and 14th.  This year is especially poignant as it marks the 50th anniversary of the last Hop Pickers’ Specials that effectively sounded the death-knell of the then BR-operated branch

Three weeks’ later, the Terrier is penciled in for the Folk Weekend at the beginning of October then like last season, No.3 will work trains between Christmas and New Year; New Year’s Eve excepted

HN-16/12/2008