Rainhill Trials - Rocket 150

In 1980 the Rocket 150 celebration was held to mark the 150th Anniversary of the trials.

A replica of Novelty was built for the event, which was also attended by replicas of Sans Pareil and Rocket (plus coach).The Rocket replica bent its axle in Bold Colliery railway sidings during the event and was exhibited on a low loader carriage.

The event was also attended by:

• Lion, at the time of Rocket 150 the oldest operable steam locomotive in existence
  (The British-built US locomotive John Bull, seven years older, was steamed in 1981)
• Flying Scotsman No. 4472
• LMS 4-6-0 Jubilee class No. 5690 Leander
• Sir Nigel Gresley No. 4498
• GWR 0-6-0 No. 3205
• LMS Class 4 MT 2-6-0 No. 43106
• BR 92220 Evening Star, the last steam locomotive to be built by British Railways
• LMS 4-6-2 Princess Elizabeth No. 6201

Two Class 86 locomotives 86214 Sans Pareil and 86235 Novelty were painted in a variation of the Large Logo Rail Blue livery where the BR logo was replaced by Rocket 150 motif on a yellow background.