Southern Railway

75th Anniversary

anniversary_state In November of 1969, the Southern Railway System celebrated its 75th anniversary with a steam celebration in Anniston, Alabama, along the Birmingham—Atlanta mainline. Dubbed the 1969 "Steam-o-rama", the railroad commemorated its diamond jubilee by gathering three operating steam locomotives in excursion service from around the region. The lineup included the legendary Flying Scotsman, which was making a British Industry Tour through the United States during the late 1960s. The other two steamers were Deep South excursion veterans Southern #4501 and Savannah & Atlanta #750. A large crowd turned out in Anniston for the event, and several dignitaries spoke from the rear platform of the Southern Railway's office car New River.

sou_banner
anniversary_envelope
sou4501_post_anniston
anniversary_headline

from Birmingham News
newspaper / Nov 1969 / collection

anniversary_seal
nrhs_ticket
lner4472_ticket

all anniversary materials above from our HawkinsRails collection

Event

advert_sou1

newspaper advertisement / collection

anniverary_clipping1

from Birmingham News
newspaper / Nov 1969 / collection


Steam Locomotives

Savannah & Atlanta #750

  • builder:American Locomotive Co
  • arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
  • built:1910, ALCO #46567
  • fuel:soft coal / water
  • notes:
  • blt Florida East Coast #80, 1910
    to Savannah & Atlanta #750, 1934
    to Atlanta Chapter NRHS, 1962
    leased by SOU for excursions 1967-84
  • builder
    sa750_clipping1969

    from Railroading
    magazine #31 - Dec 1969 / collection

    tag_jump

    See also our complete Savannah & Atlanta #750 steam scrapbook in Steam

    Southern #4501

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • arrangement:2-8-2 Mikado
  • built:1911, Baldwin #37085
  • fuel:soft coal / water
  • notes:
  • blt Southern Rwy #4501, 1911
    to Kentucky & Tennessee #11, 1948
    to The 4501 Corp. (Paul Merriman), 1964
    to Tennessee Valley Rwy Museum, 1975
    leased by SOU for excursions, 1966-87
  • builder
    sou4501_clipping1969

    from Railroading
    magazine #31 - Dec 1969 / collection

    tag_jump

    See also our complete Southern Railway #4501 steam scrapbook in Steam

    scotsman_clipping1969b

    from The Birmingham News
    newspaper - Jun 1961 / collection

    scotsman_clipping1969a
    scotsman_banner1

    London & North Eastern #4472

  • builder:Doncaster, England
  • arrangement:4-6-2 Pacific
  • built:1923, Doncaster #1564
  • fuel:soft coal / water
  • notes:
  • blt London & North Eastern #447
    to owner Alan Pegler, 1967
    British Industry tour in US, late 1960s
    used in SOU 75th anniversary, 1969
  • scotsman_banner2
    anniversary_flyer

    collection

    lner4472_clipping1969

    from Railroading
    magazine #31 - Dec 1969 / collection

    tag_jump

    See also our complete Flying Scotsman steam scrapbook in Steam

    Mainline Action

    southerner_time

    collection

    tag_scrapClippings

    railroading_cover
    railroading1

    from Railroading
    magazine #31 - Dec 1969 / collection

    railroading2
    railroading3
    railroading4
    railroading5
    railroading6
    railroading7
    railroading8
    newspaper_cover1969

    from The Birmingham News
    newspaper - Nov 1969 / collection

    history_clipping1969
    family_clipping1969
    advert_brooks
    advert_civic
    advert_blh
    advert_caldwell
    advert_harmon
    advert_emd
    advert_greenville
    advert_gulf
    advert_kerite
    advert_newyork
    advert_pullman
    advert_standard
    advert_wabco

    all advertisement clippings above from The Birmingham News newspaper - Nov 1969 / collection

    nrhs_calendar

    collection


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    This page was updated on 2021-10-14