Happy memories, GWR175 Gala
In 2010 the GWR was 175 years old, and all the GWR heritage railways in the land co-ordinated their celebratory galas to mark the occasion throughout the year. The GWSR's was, I believe, one of the bigger ones, and certainly the biggest event we have ever held, over two weekends and the week in-between of pure Great Western nirvana. Not long before, disaster struck with the landslip at Cheltenham, so I imagine it must have been some pretty sleepless nights for whoever had to re-write all the timetables to terminate everything at Gotherington.
I was 11 at the time, so some years before I joined as a volunteer, but Dad took me for the day and it was firmly etched into my mind for many years after as a brilliant day. There were a huge number of guests brought in, so many that it was impossible to run them all every day, some locos were brought in for static display, and we even hired in a couple of GWR coaches and a few wagons as well.
So here's a few pictures from Dad and I from our visit:
Dave's photos from GW 175 Gala
Many missing ones of course, such as all our locos and especially the Toddington static displays from Didcot - the Brown Boveri, 7018 Drysllwyn Castle, the broad gauge loco. The Barry wreck was photographed after the Gala.
8274 - 30th May 2010 - its inaugural spell of running following restoration
4612 - 31st May 2010 with the goods train (14-15 vehicles - Neil stipulated that the train mustn't be longer that a 6-coach rake, presumably because of the track-circuiting within station bounds, etc.
9466 - 31st May 2010
On the footplate of 3803 at Toddington with the autotrain approaching - 2nd June 2010. 3803 was at the time based on the South Devon (formerly Dart Valley) Railway
General view of the shed - 4th June 2010
1144 at Gotherington on 4th June 2010. This was a facsimile renumbering. The original 1144 was a Hawthorn Leslie loco that was owned by Swansea Harbour Trust and then taken over by the GWR. It was withdrawn in January 1960 (and presumably scrapped - nothing in brdatabase.info to indicate preservation) . I presume this was the same type of engine as there were several different builders for this small class.
It was a treat to have a ride along Bryan Nicholl's little railway - he used to run the PWay pump trolley and little petrol motor when there was a gala, but a real live steam loco? Now, that really was something special!
1144 at Gotherington on 4th June 2010
1144 at Gotherington on 4th June 2010
4612 with the goods train - 4th June 2010
4612 with the goods train - 4th June 2010
A sad moment ! - 9th June 2010
The Barry 2-8-0 wreck (forgot which one this was) - 9th June 2010
The Barry Wreck pictured is Collett 2885 Class No 3845. Built at Swindon in April 1942 and withdrawn from service in June 1964. It arrived at Barry Scrapyard in September 1964 and was one of the last to leave the yard in November 1989. Its first home was the Swindon & Cricklade Railway where nothing was done to it. It then found new owners (Dinmore Manor Group) at the GWSR but is currently in store in the West Midlands. Its boiler has been swapped for use on one of the group's other locos (3850 I believe). The intention is to restore it fully in due course. The photo shows 3845 with a Collett 4000 gallon tender. In GWR and BR days, this was almost unheard of, with both the 28xxs and the 2885s being almost always paired with the Churchward 3500 gallon tenders.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos Alex. Yes time does go by more quickly than perhaps we would like. For example it was the late 1970;s when I was a station master on the Severn Valley Railway.
ReplyDeleteRegards, Paul.