Express service from Sky Sports
posted 24th December 2006

An earlier Latest News reported that BSkyB spent a day on the GWR filming for a trailer to advertise upcoming Sky Sports coverage.  Two versions will appear - one long and one short. They are certainly entertaining although there is some footage that is obviously not from the GWR! They are being broadcast from Christmas Day.

The video files have been removed from the website to preserve bandwidth, if you would like a copy please contact the webmaster.

Christmas Cracker on the GWR: 30th and 31st December
posted 23rd December 2006

Well, do we have a treat in store for you!

Six locomotives will be working a spectacular winter timetable during the GWR’s first-ever winter gala event – the Centenary Christmas Cracker. What better way to work off your turkey and plumb pudding? And to round off the GWR’s 25th anniversary and the centenary year of the railway’s opening throughout in 1906!

Click here to find the updated timetable which includes the locomotives allocated to each train, each day. All six available steam locomotives will be working*.  You’ll notice that there will be some double-heading, while the railway’s very own King George will be making a welcome return. This will be your last chance to see Canadian Pacific running before it returns to the Mid-Hants Railway, too. There will also be freight and local passenger services running between Toddington and Winchcombe – loads of winter action for you!

The lineup includes:
 

• The National Railway Museum’s celebrated ‘City’ class 4-4-0 no. 3440 City of Truro.  This engine was timed in 1904 traveling in excess of 100mph; the first man-made machine to reach such a dizzy speed. This feat ensured its survival – otherwise, it would have been scrapped along with the other members of the class in the late 1920s. Find out more about this engine here.
   
• 4160 – a member of the Great Western Railway’s ‘5101’ class 2-6-2 tank engines.  The prototype of the class was completed at Swindon as far back as 1903 and the last of them – including no. 4160 – were completed in the late 1940s.  These robust and very attractive engines could be found throughout the Great Western’s system handling everything from commuter trains to local freights.  Members of this class used to take London expresses such as the famous ‘Cheltenham Spa Express’ from Cheltenham St. James (where Waitrose is now) as far as Gloucester. The engine is on a short visit to Toddington from the South Devon Railway, where it was recently overhauled. Sister engine no. 4141 visited the GWR earlier this year
   
• 7903 Foremarke Hall is a ‘Modified Hall’ class 4-6-0, one of the last of a very long line of these useful mixed-traffic 4-6-0s, being completed at Swindon in 1949.  This engine is resident on the GWR and, after its 25-year overhaul from scrapyard condition, has settled down to become one of the railway’s most useful locomotives. To read about the Hall class locomotives, click here.
   
• 35005 Canadian Pacific is a member of the Southern Railway’s Merchant Navy class 4-6-2s, one of the most powerful express steam locomotives classes to run in the UK. A wartime design, the engines were initially turned out with a number of advanced features and the boiler was enclosed in an ‘air-smoothed’ casing.  But in their original form the engines proved troublesome and all were rebuilt by British Railways in the early 1960s and they continued to handle the heaviest express trains from London Waterloo to Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth; and to Salisbury and Exeter.  There are many recorded occasions when these engines achieved 100mph.  Canadian Pacific has been on the GWR since July. It is owned by the Mid-Hants Railway, to where it returns in January – this is your last chance to see it on the GWR! Read this news extra article to find out more about 35005 and sister engine no. 35006 , which is being overhauled at Toddington.
   
• 92203 Black Prince is a resident on the GWR. Owned by the artist and wildlife conservationist David Shepherd, the engine is one of the most popular engines based at Toddington. A member of the 9F class 2-10-0 locomotives, it was designed for heavy freight work and is among the most powerful locomotives ever to run in the UK. 92203 was completed at Swindon in 1959, the 17th to last steam locomotive to be built for British Railways.  Sister locomotive no. 92220 Evening Star was the very last, being completed in 1960. David Shepherd will be at the GWR on 30th December.
   
• King George is, in fact, the only steam locomotive actually owned by the GWR.  It is a charming 0-6-0 saddle-tank locomotive built for industrial use and it spent all of its working life on colliery systems.  It was completely overhauled by GWR locomotive department staff and returned to service eight years ago.  The engine was built by Hunslet of Leeds and was one of their standard designs.  King George will have only arrived back at Toddington a couple of days before the Centenary Christmas Cracker following a two-year stay on the East Anglian Railway Museum’s line near Chelmsford.
   

Check out our jargon buster to learn more about the Whyte system of describing locomotives such as 4-6-2, 2-6-2T and so-on. There’s a wealth of other useful information here, too. And to catch a run-down of the railway’s 100-year history, click here for our chronology.

 

Lineside photographers are welcome to the Christmas Cracker – but make sure you carry a lineside permit (available from Toddington station booking office. Also a high-visibility jacket must be worn (available from the Toddington station shop if you forgot yours!). Click here to find out more.
 

 *As always, locomotives are subject to availability and train times subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Happy Christmas from the GWR!
posted 21st December 2006

Hundreds of children (and adults) have been enjoying the sell-out Santa Specials this year.  But Christmas Eve isn't the last day of operation so if you couldn't get on to the Santa trains, there is plenty going on over the rest of the Christmas holiday.
 
No trains are running on Christmas Day but normal train services will run to the blue timetable on Boxing Day, 28th and 29th December and on New Year's Day.
 
On Wednesday 27th December, the GWR's magnificent fleet of diesels will working during an action-packed day that includes double-heading and even brake-van rides. Trains will run to a special timetable that you can download here.
 
The Centenary Christmas Cracker celebrates steam on 30th and 31st December.  Six engines are planned to be in steam, working a variety of services between Toddington and Cheltenham Race Course and Toddington and Winchcombe.  You can find out more by clicking here.  Again, click here to download a special timetable.
 
To find out what locomotives are working over the coming days, take a look at our locomotive roster.
 
When you visit the railway, make sure you pick up a copy of the new 2007 timetable and brochure.  This year it is to a fold-out design which includes a handy route map of the line showing just what you can see from your carriage window. It includes helpful suggestions of other places nearby to make the most of your visit. But you can see the 2007 timetable itself by clicking here.
 
And here are the GWR web team's Christmas Cards. Click on the thumbnail image to see a larger version.

Once again, many thanks to Andrew Bell for two magnificent photographs taken on 17th December of Santa Specials returning to Toddington.  The first shows no. 7903 Foremarke Hall accelerating out of Winchcombe. The second is a stunning view of the countryside with 92203 Black Prince leaving Winchcombe. In this picture you can follow the line through the station and on to the tunnel.  To the near left is the lower slope Langley Hill overlooking Greet village, beyond it are Dixton and Oxenton hills. The range in the distance, over the Vale of Evesham, is the Malverns.
 
To all our visitors a happy Christmas from the GWR!
 

Centenary Christmas Cracker Timetable
posted 18th December 2006

The provisional working timetable for the end of year Centenary Christmas Cracker gala on 30th and 31st December is now available. Click here to view a PDF version of the timetable. As always this a a working timetable and may be liable to change.

King George for hire
posted 18th December 2006

The GWR’s own Hunslet saddle tank locomotive King George is available for hire during 2007.  Both long- or short-term contracts may be possible and the engine could be made available from March.  It is equipped with vacuum brake ejector and steam train heating.

Photo courtesy: www.sharpos-world.co.uk

If you represent a line that might find the locomotive useful please enquire here marking your enquiry for the attention of Ian Crowder, Locomotive Procurement Officer, or telephone 07775 566 555.

4160 settles in at Toddington
posted 18th December 2006

Great Western Railway ‘large Prairie’ 2-6-2T no 4160 steamed for the first time on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on Saturday 9th December, a couple of days after its arrival from a visit to the Mid-Hants Railway. The engine will be in will be in service most days now until the end of the year, including the GWR's Centenary Christmas Cracker'.

The engine is taking the place of no. 4960 Kinlet Hall, which is under repair at Tyseley.  No. 4160 will be starring in the ‘Centenary Christmas Cracker’ on 30th and 31st December.

No. 4160 was a regular performer on the West Somerset Railway for many years and at the end of its 10-year ‘ticket’ was moved in 2003 to the South Devon Railway for overhaul. The boiler was overhauled at L&NWR at Crewe.

This engine is a member of the highly successful ‘5101’ class, of which 290 were built between 1903 (the prototype) and 1949, no 4160 being one of the final batch built at Swindon. They were versatile workhorses and many survived to the end of steam.  10 went on to be preserved. 

Cheltenham had an allocation of the class and they were a familiar sight on lines throughout Gloucestershire. The presence of 4160 will doubtless bring memories a-plenty for those who remember steam in the area.

The picture, by Ian Crowder, shows 4160 raising steam at Toddington on 9th December.

Christmas diesels throb into life
posted 13th December 2006

After a a few weeks of silence during the Santa Specials season, the GWR's impressive heritage diesel fleet will be roaring back into action for the Winter Diesel Day on 27th December.

This is an ideal opportunity for those looking for a release from the Christmas excesses and a chance to enjoy a variety of heritage traction in action, including paired class 37s and 47s; the line's class 73 Electro diesel and the popular brake van rides between Toddington and Winchcombe. An ex-GWR 'Toad' and the Permanent Way department's EWS-liveried ex-Southern Railway 'Queen Mary' bogie brake van will be used for this unusual service.

A word of warning: only 47105 is equipped with steam heat so most of services will be chilly, so wrap up warm! And if you plan to take pictures by the lineside, make sure you are in possession of a valid lineside pass. Day tickets are available from Toddington booking office - as are high-visibility jackets, if you've left yours at home.

The working timetable is now available - this is a printable document. Click here for a copy. The timetable may be liable to last minute changes. The timetable is a PDF document, you can download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat from here.

Caption Competition results
posted 11th December 2006

The November Caption Competition has just been judged, and the Winner is Alan Coughlin. Well done Alan. Click here to view the results.

The caption competition is taking a break now, whilst the website is handed over the new webmaster. Hopefully it will return in the 2007.

As many of you will know, the GWR is in the process of building a new website, and the running of GWSR.com is now being handed over to Steve George, the new webmaster. This will be my last article on the old website, which will be taken on by Steve in the next few days (depending on how long it takes the DVD to get to Steve).

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the visitors to GWSR.com for their support over the last 3 years, and to wish Steve and Ian Crowder (the editor) best wishes for the future.

Dave Robinson

2007 Timetable now available
posted 11th December 2006

The 2007 timetable and events are now available on this website. Just follow the links from the Travelling menu at the top of the page.

More details on all the events will follow during the course of 2007.

Wandering King George coming home
posted 10th December 2006

The only steam locomotive owned by Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc is coming home.

The locomotive is the small but very attractive 0-6-0ST manufactured by Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds in 1942. It spent most of the past two year at the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel, near Colchester, where it worked on the museum’s mile-long line. It also paid a short visit to the North Norfolk Railway and while there, more than proved its worth as, for a few days, it was the only locomotive available!

King George – works number 2409 – is a standard ‘15-inch’ (this refers to the stroke of the cylinders) industrial saddle-tank. It entered service at Linby Colliery in Nottinghamshire and remained in coal industry service throughout its working life. Sold for scrap in 1980, it was rescued and moved to Toddington in 1981. Subject to a lengthy overhaul carried out at the GWR, King George entered service again in 1999. It distinguished itself by becoming the first steam locomotive for over 30 years to reach Cheltenham Race Course, shortly after track laying was completed, in February 2001.

King George can be seen in steam at Chappel for the last time on 23rd December – and it is likely to be moved back to Toddington immediately after Christmas. It is hoped that it will be in steam for the GWR’s Centenary Christmas Cracker.

King George appeared in the latest issue of Heritage Railway magazine and this photograph was taken by the Editor, Robin Jones, and is reproduced with his kind permission. It shows King George with a short freight train at the East Anglian Railway Museum on 22nd October.

0-6-0ST? Saddle-tank? For an explanation visit our jargon buster here.

A sporting chance with Sky TV
posted 7th December 2006

A camera crew spent the 2nd of December on the GWR shooting for trailers – to advertise Sky Sports!

John Grind, the satellite station’s producer, explained how a steam locomotive could promote the sports channel. “A steam locomotive to me represents the pinnacle of physical achievement – like sports people, the effort put in is obvious for all to see so I think there is a strong parallel. It’s all about speed and power.”

For one of the shots, David Shepherd’s Black Prince sports a large nameplate proclaiming ‘Sky Sports Express’ and ‘2007’ instead of the usual smokebox numberplate.

The image will show the train hurrying through the countryside with graphics appearing in the sky above. “We then cut to the interior of the train where we’ll see footballers, rugby players and even a yachtsman at the helm of an Americas Cup yacht. The camera pans back and appears to move out of the rear corridor connection of the train – which then disappears into the distance.”

Footage was shot at Toddington, Hailes bridge and along the Defford Straight and on the footplate of 35005 Canadian Pacific. The images will start appearing on Sky channels daily from Christmas Day – but we’ll try to bring you an exclusive clip before then.

Steam or pedal power to Honeybourne?
posted 6th December 2006

A report in the current issue of Steam Railway suggests that the trackbed north of Broadway to Honeybourne Junction might be under threat from Sustrans, the charity that converts redundant railway routes into cycle ways and footpaths. Could this compromise any GWR initiative to take our railhead further north than Broadway?

When Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc (GWSR) was formed 25 years ago the company's objective was 'to restore as much as possible of the former Cheltenham to Stratford on Avon railway', although at the time, it wasn't possible to purchase this section of the route.

This is still the GWSR's objective, as chairman Garry Owen explains. "I and my fellow directors are very aware that Honeybourne - with all the possibilities that a main line connection might bring - is something of a 'Holy Grail' for volunteers and members. And I am happy to confirm that we will do nothing to compromise that ultimate objective," he says.

"This is not a new story. In 2002, Sustrans applied for planning permission to convert the Broadway to Honeybourne trackbed into a 'meandering cycle way' which included alterations to bridges and earthworks to provide access to roads the route crosses. This application was summarily rejected by both Cotswold and Wychavon District Councils, through whose jurisdictions the line runs.

"Indeed, both councils make reference to the route in their structure plans for eventual reinstatement of the railway."

However, there is some doubt over ownership of the land. The Land Registry suggests that it is still owned by British Railways (Residuary); yet that company believes it sold the land to Railway Paths Limited (the administrative business of Sustrans) along with several other railway properties, in 2002.

"We are investigating this, are in touch with British Railways (Residuary) and we're considering our options for the future," says Garry. "I believe that a cycle way over this route would be impractical and of little benefit to anyone. I think the district councils believe that too and we continue to enjoy their support."

It will, of course, still be a few years before the GWR is in a position to go further north than Broadway. There is plenty to be getting on with meanwhile - not least of which is building a station at Broadway, quite apart from getting the track there which in itself will give us a 15-mile heritage railway!"

2006 season’s sunset
posted 5th December 2006

Normal timetabled services before the start of the Santa Special season were concluded on a glorious 25th November. The encouraging weather forecast prompted a ‘photo day’ for several photographers who took advantage of excellent winter light to photograph all three Cheltenham-Toddington trains, which were in the charge of David Shepherd’s 9F2-10-0 no. 92203, Black Prince.

The results are these three exceptional pictures taken by Andrew Bell, who is happy to share his work with us all – so let the pictures speak for themselves!

Just click on the images for a larger version (these images are approximately 200KB each)

Captions:

• Black Prince accelerates away from Gotherington station.
• After departing from Winchcombe, the 9F gets into its stride round ‘Chicken Curve’
• Red sky at night photographers’ delight: 92203 climbs the 1 in 150 from Woodmancote towards Gotherington, summing up a great day’s photography!

Santa’s arrived!
posted 4th December 2006

There were squeals of excitement – and that was just from the parents! – as the first Santa Special arrived at Winchcombe on Saturday 1st December, the first day of the GWR’s busy Santa season. There was the grand old gentlemen himself, standing in all his bearded splendour, waving as the train entered the platform.

We’re not sure where the reindeer were – possibly Richard Johnson and his Carriage & Wagon team were caring for them which perhaps explains the van seen delivering something to Winchcombe the other day. Someone said it was components for the next Mk. 1 coaches to be restored – but some said it looked more like sacks of carrots…

Betty Dixon, of the organising team, said the first weekend went very well. “Everyone was delighted and commented on the high quality of the presents given out by Father Christmas and we were doing our usual hot trade in free mince pies in the station.

“We think this is the best Father Christmas experience around but if you want to join in the fun, you had better book up quickly – the last tickets are going as quickly as our mince pies!”

To book up it is probably now best to telephone the station on 01242 621405. The office is normally manned from late morning to late afternoon and at weekends but if you don’t get through, leave a message on the answer phone and someone will call you back. For more information, click here.

Still time to visit Santa
posted 3rd December 2006

There still time to book your visit to Santa’s Grotto on the GWR, although some of the more popular trains are now full.

For more details click here to visit our Santa Specials page. You are advised to check the latest availability by telephone, on our usual number - 01242 621405.

Click here to return to the News Archive.