10 Jun The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant
3 June 2012
‘Lizzie’s’ appearance before an audience of millions at the start of the Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June appears to have added a new chapter to her considerable history and she has now become known as ‘The Engine on the Bridge’ to a huge number of people who had previously paid little or no attention to Steam Locomotives.
We have been overwhelmed by the compliments received since the event and were particularly gratified by the numerous congratulatory messages delivered in person by visitors to “Railfest 2012” at York, it seems that a number of visitors to the event were drawn specifically by the opportunity to see (and perhaps climb aboard) the footplate of the engine which had played a prominent, if brief, part in the preceding weekend’s event.
In recording our thanks to all the well wishers and new found fans of 6201 we must include our appreciation as a Society of all the many, many people – too numerous to list – whose efforts combined to make the appearance possible in the first place. We regard the praise we are receiving as being a triumph not just for ourselves but for the Railway Industry as a whole, and the Steam Traction world in particular.