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A total of 65 locomotives had originally been planned to be exhibited at Shildon, although this was eventually reduced to around 35 by BR inspections and non-readiness. The SVR's only non-attendee was 70000 Britannia, whose restoration including firebox repairs was still in progress (and would not be completed until 1978). Work on transforming Gordon from a working locomotive into a 'museum exhibit' began in mid-June and included a repaint into fully lined Longmoor Blue livery. The time for preparing the SVR's other attendees was even more limited, with both 43106 and 8233 in regular SVR service until early July before cleaning and painting could begin. At the same time BR needed the locomotives to be delivered earlier than anticipated, due to their difficulties on finding sufficient crews with steam experience in an area of the country which had been 'steam-free' for almost eight years. For several weeks all three locos were ''…worked on furiously in Bridgnorth yard'' with "...''a great deal of weekend, weekday and evening activity''."<ref>SVR News 36, p.30., ''Shildon 1975, Alan Wilkinson</ref> GWR 813, which had spent a number of years undergoing restoration, was re-assembled and cosmetically restored, including painting and lettering at Bewdley, travelling to Shildon by road to appear as a static exhibit.<ref>SVR News 175</ref>
None of the four SVR carriages originally requested appeared at the event. Restoration work on 5883 was unfinished, with its place at Shildon taken by [[Carriages formerly resident on the SVR | 'Clapham' Buffet 9631]] whose restoration had taken priority.<refname="SVRNews36">SVR News 36</ref> [[LNER 4236 Gangwayed Passenger Brake | LNER 4236]], which had arrived on the SVR in April 1975, was hastily repainted into LNER brown "imitation varnished teak" livery, providing an LNER representative in place of 10078. [[LMS 26986 Brake Third Corridor|LMS 26986]] was touched in and revarnished before replacing LMS 12992.
On 28 July 1975 600 Gordon travelled light engine from [[Bridgnorth]] to Urlay Nook near Stockton.<ref>SVR News 36<name="SVRNews36"/ref> It was followed on 11 August by LMS 8233 piloting 43106 (also in steam), together with carriages LMS 26986, 'Clapham' Buffet 9631 and LNER 4236. The [[Image Collections#David_Cooke_Collection | David Cooke Collection]] includes images of 8233 piloting 43106 on the three-coach train [https://www.flickr.com/photos/60790501@N04/8374935276/ leaving Kidderminster station] and on the [https://www.flickr.com/photos/60790501@N04/8369428331/ mainline].
In the cavalcade, 600 hauled ex-Metropolitan Railway electric locomotive No. 12 'Sarah Siddons'.<ref name="railcentre">[http://www.railcentre.co.uk/RailHistory/Rail150/Pages/Page2.html Railcentre.co.uk] (Retrieved 17 January 2023)</ref>