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The Cheltenham Open – go by train! The Cheltenham Open is the most important national meeting of the first half of the Jump season, with £750,000 in prize money up for grabs. So it should provide plenty of excitement for fans, particularly the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday. The event is bound to attract a huge audience so the best way to get there – and certainly the quickest way to leave the Racecourse – must be by train. The GWR is once again running a special train service on both Friday 14th and Saturday 15th November. To book telephone 08456 528 888 and for more information visit the Classic Hospitality website by clicking here.
GWR Christmas card released The GWR’s resident artist, Frederick Lea GRA, has announced the new GWR Christmas card. Pictured below it is based on one of Frederick’s new paintings showing 5542 and two auto -carriages between Winchcombe and Toddington in after a heavy snowfall.
The cards are now available from John Clarke at Toddington Shop and come in packs of 4 cards (with white envelopes) for £3.45. The profit from card sales will go to the Railway.
Steam firing and driving courses 2009 Dates, prices and booking details are now available for the 2009 series of steam firing and driving courses. Click here for the full details.
November carriage and wagon department update Richard Johnson’s latest report on the activities of the carriage and wagon department can be found here.
Connecting you now, sir! The extensive work to remodel the yard at Toddington, following completion of the two new inspection pits, has taken a significant step forward with reconnection of the sidings (including the ‘unloading road’ that extends into the car park) to the rest of the GWR system. There still remains a lot of work to do, with connection to the ‘Dowty’ shed, the former steam running shed, and installation of new pointwork to replace the former South ground frame. This latter work includes new motor-operated points that will be controlled from the signalbox. Work is also about to start on extending the south end of the four-road David Page shed which will expand under-cover accommodation for steam and diesel locomotives, which is the next phase in the improvement of Toddington’s facilities. The extension will allow sufficient room for example, for two full-sized tender locomotives to be accommodated on a single road. In the future, an extension at the north end is planned, too. Engineering director Andrew Goodman points out that the new yard layout will provide much better accommodation and improved flexibility for future operations. “We are blessed with plenty of space when compared with many railways,” he says. “The new pits and the extended David Page shed offer good facilities for maintenance of our locomotive fleet – but there still remains much to achieve. Still on the ‘to do’ list are a new diesel running shed in place of the existing Dowty shed and extending the former goods shed to improve and extend the workshop and provide crew mess room and shower facilities which will become the envy of the heritage railway movement.”
Here the permanent way team are seen from a passing train putting the finishing touches to the work completed so far.
Scout camp This weekend a group of scouts camped out in the railway field at Toddy. On Friday night Chris Stockman took them on a eight mile night hike and they all arrived back at Toddy shattered at midnight. Saturday saw them working in the north head shunt clearing vegetation. One old lady was heard to say that she saw a load of children with saws and knives and should someone tell the staff about it? That evening the scouts used fire extinguishers to put out oil fires and the pictures look wicked! Again a lot of tired scouts went to bed happy that night. Sunday saw a group of cubs also attend the railway and they also used fire extinguishers and the scouts were introduced to the joy of hose running and using high pressure hoses from the rear of a fire engine. Needless to say Chris got very wet. The scouts and cubs had a great time and wish to thank the railway for having them.
The Honeybourne Line’s history in pictures A picture, they say, tells a thousand words and that is certainly true of railway pictures – especially those that have been handed down over the decades. They tell us not just what the locomotives and rolling stock looked like, but they are put into context – the stations, the people; trackside features that have long since been swept under roads, housing or supermarkets. Or they may show that history seems to have stood still and that it is possible to re-create images dating back 50, 60 or more years. You only have to check out our own photo galleries to see what we mean. The ‘Honeybourne Line’ has been the subject of countless photographs over the years, many appearing in books covering the line’s history or in magazines. But now there’s a chance to see many of these pictures and countless other that have never been published, in a remarkable collection put together by Bernie Holland. You can find out here in our latest History Lesson where we review his Honeybourne Line photopic site which is crammed with historic pictures, including many from the collection of the late, great photographer Bill Potter.
7029 Clun Castle stands at Cheltenham Race Course Station having worked the final steam-hauled Gold Cup Special from Paddington on 14th March 1968 (original photograph by Bill Potter - image reproduced here by kind permission of Joan Potter. The photograph is now in the care of Kidderminster Railway Museum) Click here for the full story.
Gala gathers steam! On Friday night the floodlights revealed the white canvas of several marquees as well as growing numbers of traction engines (steam-powered demonstrations, such as the sawbench in the picture below and steam ploughing), commercial vehicles, tractors and other exhibits for the Steam and Vintage Gala over the weekend of 11th and 12th October. This is going to be a cracking event at its new Cheltenham Racecourse venue. Follow the AA signs for car parking!
In summary, public train times are: From Toddington 09.30; 10.30; 11.30; 13.00; 14.15; 15.15; 16.35 From Winchcombe (to Cheltenham) 09.40; 10.40; 11.40; 13.10; 14.25; 15.25; 16.45
From Cheltenham Racecourse 10.15; 11.15; 12.15; 14.00; 15.00; 16.00; 17.20 From Winchcombe (to Toddington) 10.42; 11.42; 12.42; 14.27; 15.27; 16.22; 17.42
Best ever August, and a good September Malcolm Temple, the GWSR Plc’s new Finance Director, reports that the company enjoyed its best ever monthly financial results. Tickets and catering income amounted to £88,000, bringing the turnover year-to-date to over £390,000. “This is a great achievement,” says Malcolm. “The GWR is a substantial business that is a significant contributor to the local economy. What is particularly pleasing is that we have achieved this result notwithstanding the economic situation.” In terms of passenger numbers, September was another good month although not quite matching the same period last year. At the end of the month the total number of tickets sold year to date was 50 ,053, compared with 52,974 the previous year. “But we shouldn’t be discouraged by that result,” says Colin Dymock, head station master. “Last year September included a Day Out with Thomas event as well as the Churchward 150 gala, both of which brought in good numbers of visitors. Nevertheless, this year Paddington Bear proved to be a hit, with 1,644 tickets sold over the weekend.” With tickets for the Santa Specials now selling, and the Steam and Vintage Gala taking place during October, the current 5.5 per cent shortfall compared to end September 2007 could well be made up. About 25 per cent of tickets continue to be sold at Cheltenham Race Course station.
Crowds flock to see the bear from Darkest Peru Over 1,600 people came to the GWR on the gloriously sunny weekend of 27th / 28th September to see Paddington Bear. In between his snacks of marmalade sandwiches hundreds of families enjoyed meeting and having their photographs taken next to the famous bear. And not just that, there were Punch and Judy shows, magic shows, a treasure hunt and children had the chance to colour in a picture of their favourite bear at Winchcombe. At Toddington the Fire Department were on hand to help budding young fire fighters of the future, and the North Gloucestershire Narrow Gauge Railway and a roundabout entertained the crowds. As well as steam and diesel services between Cheltenham Racecourse, Winchcombe and Toddington a genuine London Routemaster bus ran services between Toddington and Winchcombe. Paddington thought it would be fun if the train and the bus had some races, with Paddington himself flagging the bus away from Winchcombe each time. The result from Saturday was two wins to the train, and two wins to the bus. However on Sunday the train won 3 races, the bus only one race. Paddington did suspect that the train was cheating however as twice it left Winchcombe before the bus was ready! 1. 3. 5. Picture 1 - Stationmaster Brian Penfold prepares to start Clowning around! It was a very successful weekend, with Winchcombe station running out of Ice-Creams on Saturday afternoon, and the bus conductor running out of tickets! Building on this success planning is already underway for another Children's Event over the weekend of April 25th / 26th 2009. This time Postman Pat will be visiting the railway so keep your eyes peeled for further details soon!
Great photos on “the Friendly Railway in the Cotswolds” We recently received some fantastic photographs from a local student, Bethany Kelsall, which she has taken as a part of an A level project on a recent visit to the railway. A selection of the photos taken in and around Toddington are shown below (they link to larger versions) along with some words from Bethany herself describing her visit. Another great example of the high regard our railway and volunteers are held in.
Bethany says, “As part of my A level Photography course at Balcarras Sixth form, I visited the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway at Toddington. I had decided that I wanted to take 1940's style fashion photographs and the railway seemed a perfect location. Everything at the station is all very authentic and was an ideal location for the photos I wanted to take. My model ( Amy Roberts) also from Balcarras, had agreed to wear period style clothes for the photographs. The photographs were taken on Saturday the 6th of September at Toddington station. With Amy as a model I used as much of the Toddington station for photographs to make sure I got the best shots possible. The Steam train came into the station for picking up and dropping passengers off whilst we were taking the photographs it was great, I got some fabulous shots whilst the train pulled up. I spoke to one of the volunteers there and explained what I was doing, and whether it would be possible to get on the train and take some photographs whilst the train was in the station. The volunteer was very kind and helpful, even letting me take photographs of Amy inside the carriage and next to the engine. We then took a trip on the train as well. A couple of other volunteers even let me take their photographs, they were great sports and so enthusiastic about their work which was great. I would just like to say a massive thank you to all the volunteers that” You can see more of Bethany’s photographs here.
Numbers holding up Dire predictions that passenger numbers on the GWR would suffer because of the ‘credit crunch’ seem to be unfounded. August figures show that compared with this time last year the railway continues to be about 2 per cent ahead in terms of train tickets sold. Year to date, 43,734 tickets had been sold compared with 42,913 over the same period in 2007. About a quarter of tickets were sold at Cheltenham Race Course station. “I think we are in a good position to benefit from the reduction in overseas holidays,” says Colin Dymock, head station master. “Conversations with visitors suggests that many people are opting for days out rather than taking a holiday outside the UK. Of course, the Cotswolds is a great destination and some of the finest views can be seen from our carriage windows.” Passenger numbers have also held up despite the sometimes appalling weather. But, as Colin points out: “A steam railway is actually a good place to be on a wet day. The carriages are warm and dry and the white plumes of steam from the locomotive can easily be seen drifting over the countryside, adding to the experience. That’s something that you don’t see on a warm and sunny day because the steam evaporates almost as soon as it leaves the engine’s chimney.”
Update from Growler Group Another significant milestone for the Growler Group has been reached with the signing of an agreement that sees them become custodians of class 37 locomotive no. 37248, owned by three Growler Group working members, and currently on hire to the West Coast Railway Company through the venture 'Type Three Traction'. By placing the locomotive formally into the care of the Growler Group, the locomotive will be looked after into the future by a strong, established group of people who care passionately about class 37s and with a proven track record of quality restoration and care for its locomotives. It will also give the Group an opportunity to promote itself more widely and remain at the forefront of class 37 preservation by, in the short term at least, having the only 'preserved' class 37 currently operating on the Network Rail system. The locomotive is operated by the West Coast Railway Company, who are responsible for its care and maintenance for the duration of the hire, and operates throughout the UK from the Carnforth base of WCRC. In recognition of this, and to mark the 10th operational year of 37215 in preservation, which was one of the first class 37s bought for preservation in 1994, the Group has also re-vamped its website at www.thegrowlergroup.org.uk , where full details of all three class 37s and the Group's news and activities can be found.
Latest P&O update The latest progress report from the P&O restoration project can be found here.
October diesel gala We are now pleased to be able to announce details of the upcoming diesel gala. The timetable can be downloaded here and a press release containing details of the event can be downloaded here.
Locos leave and arrive from Winchcombe Relaying the track at Toddington has meant that the yard has become isolated from the rest of the GWR’s system – and that includes the ‘unloading road’: the track that extend out into the car park. This means that for arrivals and departures, the railway has had to think again! So, with a bit of juggling and bringing the ground surface up to rail level in the yard at Winchcombe, it is possible to load and unload locomotives on to and off of their road transporters although it is a tight squeeze. The first departure was late August when record-breaking 4-4-0 City of Truro departed first for the Barrow Hill Roundhouse for their gala event and from there to the Severn Valley Railway for a four-week stay. The locomotive, owned by the National Railway Museum, then moves to the Great Central Railway at Loughborough before returning to the GWR in time for Christmas. Next away was powerful GWR 0-6-2T no. 5619 which spent a few days at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway in Wales where it spectacularly performed on this steeply-graded line. It has just been delivered back to Winchcombe by John Antell’s transporter which then collected GWR ‘small Prairie’ no. 5542 for its visit to the Severn Valley Railway’s Autumn gala, which takes place over the weekend of 19th-21st September. The loco returns to the GWR on 23rd September when it will be delivered pointing south (it has latterly been pointing north).
Latest carriage and wagon report The latest report from the carriage and wagon department is now online and can be see here.
Steam and vintage rally details now available We are now pleased to be able to release details of the upcoming steam and vintage rally. The event , to be held on 11th & 12th October has moved this year from Toddington to Cheltenham racecourse. For details of the rally click here. |
Please note that a special timetable is
operating on the GWR during this event and you can see the departure times from Cheltenham and Toddington stations on our loco roster by clicking here. On Saturday, two engines are working – Great Western 56xx class 0-6-2T no.
5619 and David Shepherd’s 9F class 2-10-0 no. 92203 Black Prince. On Sunday, these two engines will again be working but with the addition of Modified Hall class 4-6-0 no. 7903 Foremarke Hall which is in charge of the
Elegant Excursions Sunday Luncheon dining train (which is fully booked).
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