The Leighton Buzzard Railway say that their Halloween trains this year saw the highest passenger numbers since the COVID pandemic.

After a Halloween Season Finale on Sunday, there are still two half-term days left to ride the full line this year with all the Halloween decorations, Thursday 30th and Friday 31st October.

Two trains were in service on Sunday, one train was hauled by a pair of vertical boiler locomotives, De Winton 0-4-0BTs Taffy, which was visiting thanks to Alan Keef Ltd, and LBR-based Chaloner.

The other train was Baldwin No. 778, which was making its final appearance in steam before overhaul as its boiler ticket expires on the 30th November.

The locomotive is based at the Leighton Buzzard Railway but is owned by The Greensand Railway Museum.

The locomotive will now be withdrawn from service for its second 10-year overhaul.

“We aim to ensure the overhaul of No. 778 is undertaken as rapidly as possible. The Leighton Buzzard Railway, a line built with WW1 surplus equipment and opened in 1919 with its extensive collection of WW1 era locomotives and stock is the perfect home for No. 778 and doubtless will remain so into the foreseeable future. This loco has been pulling LBR trains since 2007 and the trustees hope the required overhaul can be completed as quickly as possible to enable that to resume.

Greensand Railway Museum Trust chairman, Cliff Thomas