Sat 24th / Sun 25th - Gala Days (Part 1)

The Cotswold Festival of Steam, one of our main highlights of the year was here once again and this time, with such an amazing number and variety of locomotives to steam, it looked to be quite an event. The endless dry weather was beginning to cause concern but, just for once, the rain overnight and touches of rain during the day were a blessing.

 

During the weekend I met a number of our visitors who said they both regularly read and enjoy our C&W blog posts. On behalf of the blog team a hearty thank you for your very kind compliments. It makes all our efforts very worthwhile.

Saturday

At the Works almost everything was in place for our visitors, leaving just the large banner to mount alongside the Workshop wall, and the Welcome banner and sandwich boards to take up to the station. Also important a quick walk around the site to ensure everything else (barriers. chains and tapes, advisory notices, etc) that had been put up on Thursday were still in place. All checked out ok and we were ready for our first visitors.

Andrew Barclay Austerity Saddle Tank no. 15 "Earl David" had first come to the Railway back in 2010 when the loco was named. It was nice to see it back, freshly refurbished and still in the livery for the Wemyss Private Railway. Alex had signwritten the name and number of the Cotswold side of the tank on Thursday, and later was able to do the Malvern side as well. The loco is coming to collect Rake 4.  

A real treat this time was acquiring the South East & Chatham Railway 01 No. 65 from the Bluebell Railway. It was a Stirling class O built 1896, until rebuilt as an O1 in 1908. Nick, Martin, Phil and Maurice watch its passing.

Although we can't allow our visitors through the Workshop and Barn on gala Saturdays, there was certainly plenty of activity in the Workshop for them to view from behind a barrier where the Workshop joins the Paintshop. Andy grinds the base of another vacuum cylinder.

At the south end of the Barn and still visible from the Paintshop, Alan was measuring up his latest repair on RMB 1876 to enable him to cut the correct size of sheet metal for welding in.

Clive was guard on the Winchcombe local freight, and with tea and notices is off to join his train.

With the Gala in progress any work on the Discovery coach in Platform is totally out of the duration. So for Martin it was back to filling and sanding on SO 4798.

The main floor supports for the two toilet compartments in 4798 have been previously coated with Creosolve. Simon now gathers up the supports for the compartment on the Cotswold side of the coach.

Eve and Pam await our first visitors.

Ken continues the rebuilding of the connection supports at the south end and preparation for restoring the communication cord assembly.

With a quantity of filling now in place Martin reverts to pad sanding.

Phil tackling more lighting. He was deep in concentration so I didn't want to disturb him and enquire where this was for.

We may have lost the unrebuilt Bullied Pacifics, but former GW Pannier Tank 7714 from the Severn Valley Railway was a great substitute. The GW panniers were brilliant little locos, quite powerful for their size, and certainly one of my favourites,  especially when they are the older ones with the porthole windows.

3850 passes with Rake 2. The sight of the recently repainted crimson and cream always gives us a big lift - if only we could get more done quickly.

The O1 passes as Paul, Dave and Ken join the many admirers in our popular viewing area just outside the Barn.

If anything stole the show it was these two. 1906 Borrows well tank no. 48 "The King" and  ......

....... and 1918 Borrows-Kerr Stuart well tank no. 3063 Top who topped and tailed the short Winchcombe based BR freight train back and forth for the enjoyment of our visitors. Clive and Roger join the crowd.

Ken watches "Earl David" gently moving into the headshunt for the layover period in the running of Rake 4.

The Cottons Sturdee was given a run out by Ian and Rosie, two of the Friends of Winchcombe Station. The milk churns are the ones from the station. Although it has been painted in chocolate & cream, these machines are not railway specific and were in use anywhere where carrying was required

The busy scene with well tank 3063 on the Works siding and "Earl David" heading off for Toddington.

3063 now moves towards the yard headshunt with Chris driving. No. 48 in the distance will soon be following. Note the yellow masking tape and scissors, briefly abandoned so that I could photo all the train movements - one or two information notices in the Paintshop needed some extra tape.

Work on the MICA van could continue as it involved areas of painting and could be barriered off. It gave also more activity for our visitors to see. Maurice top coats one of the Malvern side doors.

Visitors could also watch Paul painting on of the corners on the Open C wagon. The MICA in particular was a big draw being white with its striking red lettering. All the vehicles in the Works have information notices attached describing their history and the work that has been going on. 

A pleasant surprise was to see the Burrell traction engine "Dorothy" which had come down from Toddington with her crew and sacks of coal for the Winchcombe based locos.

Alan's patchwork on the south end of 4798 looks to be complete and ready to be ground clean.

As previously mentioned the Winchcombe freight shuttle was of great interest and their activities were always a big draw for photographers and general viewers alike.

Stu chats to the Burrows crew who he has known for many years.

3850 passes with Rake 2. Seated is Alan from our Tuesday gang who was visiting for the first time having recovered from serious health issues. It was both a big and very pleasant surprise to see him again.

Pam waves as 2807 comes by with the southbound train.

"Betton Grange" passes with the freight which Eve videos while Ken and Nick look on.

The Queen Mary guards van is packed to capacity. The brake van rides are always very popular and of course another earner for us.

The Winchcombe freight leaves the headshunt.

Much later on with the freight on another southbound run. Rod and I halt our chat to watch and photograph respectively. "Earl David" with Rake 4 is on the layover in the headshunt.

Paul adds red oxide to one of the new corner pieces for the Open C wagon. These have been fabricated by the Metalwork team.

The returning freight viewed from Platform 1. Alex in the white shirt is guard.

Upholstery was once again very popular, keeping Eve, Laura and Jane very busy talking to our visitors.

A busy Paintshop with Nick and Pam chatting to another visitor.

During all our galas when we are open, Pam has a ready supply of doggy treats for our four-legged visitors. Permission is always requested first of course and the answer is almost always yes.

Maurice and Paul add more top coat where needed on the MICA van.

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Sunday

A quick catch up from yesterday. The cleaned up and painted (in black MIO) parts of the vacuum cylinder cleaned by Andy the day before.

The dynamic duo arrive from Toddington with Rake 4 ready for another day, with "Earl David" later heading back north with the rake.

75029 from the SVR arrives while Pam watches from our Paintshop side door. 

Another bag with the striking flower vase moquette is sold to a couple from Wales. A part roll of this lovely moquette was donated by the owner of BCK 21092, who has this very regal design in his coach - the red in Second Class and the blue in First Class.

Our demonstration BR freight storms up gradient into Winchcombe Station on the first run of the day as Nick and Pam watch from the Paintshop.

Another catch-up photo from Saturday showing the new floor being built up by Simon in the Cotswold side toilet compartment in SO 4798.

Ian watches the fireman of 7714 refilling the tanks, before the train leaves for Toddington and Broadway.

2807 waiting with the freight in Platform 2 for the arrival of the Cheltenham train .........

....... which appears behind P&O and the tokens are exchanged, ..........

........ which in turns enables 2807 to have the right of way and return to Toddington.

Two lovely retrievers with their eyes firmly fixed on Pam and her doggy treats. 

Close ups of the two lovely little industrial well tanks, 3063 and 48, and their wagons

heading back into the Rake 3 siding.

The O1 arrives from Toddington ........

........ followed by 75069 leaving with the Toddington train.

The layover in the afternoon in the headshunt with Rake 4 was the turn of the O1. Thanks to the kindness of Mark the fireman, Pam and I had the chance to climb up into the cab.

The Bluebell Railway are very lucky to have such a lovely engine in their care. When closely inspected the detail and quality in the painting is amazing. And the shine on that dome! All credit to the Loco team for acquiring it for the gala and a big thank you to the Bluebell Railway for allowing us to hire it.

Another little four legged visitor enjoys a bit of fuss from Pam.

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Part Two will cover the rest of Sunday and Monday