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Carriage & Wagon latest Want to know what’s happening down in the sheds at Winchcombe? Check out Richard Johnson’s latest report from Carriage & Wagon for details.
The Cotswold Prairie: 'surprise visitor' confirmed Great Western 'prairie' tank locomotive no. 4160*, freshly overhauled at the South Devon Railway, is expected to pay a visit to the GWR this December and should remain for the Centenary Christmas Cracker on the 30th and 31st of December. The locomotive is currently at the Mid-Hants Railway.
This class of large 2-6-2Ts were used throughout the Great Western network, particularly for commuter trains around city conurbations such as London and Birmingham, as well as country passenger and goods services. Cheltenham Malvern Road had an allocation of them and sister locomotive, no. 4141 which paid a visit during our Centenary Festival spent its entire working life at Cheltenham. So this will be a welcome visitor to the line during the winter. So, six locomotives will be working on 30th and 31st December - a winter wonderland of steam!:
4160, as with all locomotives, will be appearing subject to availability. Prairie? 2-6-2T? Check out our Jargon Buster and look for Wheel Arrangement
Going, going … to visit Santa If your youngsters are already getting excited about seeing Father Christmas, why don’t you make it an extra special treat by going to see him by steam train? Our Santa Specials start soon – but be quick because many trains are already fully booked. You can check availability by calling 01242 621 405 (if you get the answer machine, leave a message and you’ll be called back). Or click here for more information and details of how to book. Don’t leave it too late for the best way to see Father Christmas!
Can we have our equipment back? Our signaller can’t reach… A few days ago we reported on the magnificent haul of signalling equipment recovered following modernisation of the Wolverhampton to Telford line and closure of the signal boxes. Amongst the treasure trove was a set of block token despatch and catching equipment – which is mounted on a post to allow single line tokens to be exchanged without the intervention of a signalman. But Network Rail have asked for it back – because there is a lady signaller at Hednesford in the West Midlands who can’t reach sufficiently high to hand the single-line token to the driver of passing trains on this freight-only route. The solution was to install despatch and catching equipment – but designing and constructing new was out of the question. The right kind of kit had recently been taken out of use on the Telford line … but had been collected by the GWR! The GWR has no use for such equipment so, as project director Andrew Goodman explained: “We were happy to let them have it back – but we cheekily asked if they could let us have some electric lever locks for installation in our future signalboxes, in exchange. These locks are very difficult to get hold of as they are still used on the national network. To my surprise, Network Rail kindly agreed – and let us have a dozen of them!” So there will be a happy lady at Hednesford signal box – and the GWR benefits at the same time!
City of Truro ‘comes home’ Wandering star, 3440 ‘City of Truro’ has returned to Toddington from the Bluebell Railway, where it famously met up with the only other Great Western outside-framed 4-4-0 ‘Earl of Berkeley’ – an event widely covered in the railway media and on web sites. No. 3440 now remains on the GWR until the spring. It will be playing a starring role in the Centenary Christmas Cracker on 30th and 31st December along with every other locomotive we can put into steam.
Last chance to ride service trains before Christmas! This coming weekend – the 25th and 26th of November – will be your last chance before Christmas to enjoy a trip on a service train on the GWR, because from the 2nd of December , most trains will be Santa Specials running between Toddington and Winchcombe. There will be some Elegant Excursions Christmas luncheon trains running, too. So don’t delay, visit us this weekend to enjoy a steamy trip over the GWR. The railway is running to the blue timetable and if you want to know what locomotive will be in charge check out our locomotive roster.
Christmas lunch on Elegant Excursions We’re told that there are a very few tickets left to enjoy Christmas lunch on the GWR’s celebrated and top-quality dining train, Elegant Excursions, on Sundays the 3rd and 17th of December. There are fewer than a dozen places left so you’ll need to book up quickly. The Christmas Special train on Saturday evening, 16th December is regrettably now fully booked. The Christmas Sunday Luncheon trains depart from Cheltenham Race Course station at 12.00 for 12.30 and the cost of the four-course meal is just £35 per head. All food is prepared and cooked on the train by our on-board chef so it couldn’t be more fresh! Click here for more information and to reserve your seat.
No public trains weekend of 11th/12th November Please note that there are no public services the weekend of the 11th and 12th of November. This is because special services are being operated by Racing Tours Limited, in connection with the Paddy Power Gold Cup three-day race meeting at Cheltenham. For more information please see our earlier news item (1st November). Normal services will resume the following weekend, with the Blue Timetable operating over the weekends of 18th-19th and 25th-26th November, the last two weekends before the Santa Special season.
More signalling equipment for GWR Following re-signalling of the Network Rail line between Wolverhampton and Telford, resulting in closure of the signalboxes at Cosford and Codsall (amongst others), a considerable amount of signalling equipment has been recovered for eventual use on the GWR (writes Danny Scroggins).
The equipment includes an interesting mixture of upper and lower quadrant signals, brackets, disc signals and various fixtures and fittings. Much will eventually find itself operated from the former Exminster signalbox, which will be re-sited at Broadway. Although some of the equipment was damaged when removed by Network Rail contractors, much remains in excellent condition and could be put be put back into use with little more than a lick of fresh paint. We’re grateful to Network Rail for allowing us to recover these parts. For more information, visit the Broadway signalbox website. STOP PRESS: A further genuine GWR water column has also been found for eventual use on the GWR (see latest news 18th September). Remarkably, it has lain since the end of steam close to where it once stood at Reading station – but was obscured by ballast and forgotten. Said to be in remarkably good condition, it will be removed shortly and taken to Toddington.
Northward bound – another milestone reached! The Broadway extension has reached Stanton Road bridge. For the full story click here for our special News Extra feature on the latest work.
Tracks from Race Course to Cheltenham town centre? Recent press reports have suggested that Cheltenham Borough Council is considering proposals from Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce for using the former GWR trackbed to improve local public transport links and ease traffic congestion. It is likely that up to 4,000 houses will be built at Hunting Butts, adding impetus to the concept. The GWR owns the trackbed south from Race Course station, through the 90-yard Hunting Butts tunnel to the Prince of Wales Stadium in Tommy Taylor's Lane. From there, the route is owned by the Borough Council which uses the trackbed as a footpath and cycle way through the town and to the railway station at Lansdowne. Three years ago, part of the embankment close to the site of Malvern Road East Junction was breached to make way for a road, giving access to the new Waitrose Food and Home store, which stands on the site of the former Cheltenham St. James station. The gap is crossed by a light suspension bridge, somewhat higher than the original track level, which means that reinstatement of the line to meet the national network in Cheltenham is highly unlikely There have been a number of proposals over the years to use the route for transport purposes. This includes trams, light rail and a guided bus way. At one time, a rapid transit rail link was proposed that would have run all the way to Gloucester. The latest suggestion for a guided electric bus route to link with the GWR's Race Course station with an estimated price tag of £12m. However, there has been no approach to the GWR for use of its land. Explains Garry Owen, chairman of GWSR Plc: "We would welcome firm proposals but these have never been forthcoming. Because we own the trackbed, any plans would necessarily have to involve us. Some years ago, the Borough Council asked when we could start to lay track southwards if we were requested to do so and our response was 'tomorrow' - and that remains the case. But the trackbed, walled embankments and bridges in the town have deteriorated over the years and it would probably be extremely costly to reinstate heavy rail. But our headshunt that runs right in to Hunting Butts Tunnel is laid with concrete sleepers and flat-bottom rail, just in case!" Garry adds: "The Borough Council certainly recognises the strategic usefulness of the former line and at some stage they will have to make a decision. I very much hope that they involve us at an early stage so that whatever transport solution is chosen it benefits both the local community and our railway and protects our interests. "But although there is clearly an emotional desire to see our trains reach the town centre, I think we would nevertheless welcome a direct link that will bring people from the Network Rail station and the town centre to our own station, regardless of the type of transport used."
A washout for Canadian Pacific On-loan Merchant Navy pacific no. 35005 Canadian Pacific is safely back at Toddington following its short visit to the Great Central Railway and, during October, went through a routine boiler washout. All working steam locomotives are subject to this procedure and at Toddington, it is carried out in full view of the public, next to the car park. The two tank wagons – one used to carry milk, the other fuel – now contain water for this purpose. For an explanation of the boiler washout process, see the special story in News Extra together with photographs. The Merchant Navy remains on the GWR until the end of the year.
Caption Competition results Judging for the October Caption Competition has now been completed. This month provided the funniest set of entries for quite some time. The best two were both submitted by Rob Falconer (we believe), which means that Rob has now won for two months in a row. A fantastic achievement... can he become the first person to win three months in a row? To view the full result of the October competition, click here. To view and enter the November competition, click here.
A steam-powered day at the races? Once again, the GWR has teamed up with Racing Tours to run a return trip from Toddington for the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Friday and Saturday, 10th and 11th November. On each day, the train – in the capable hands of Southern Railway Merchant Navy class express locomotive no. 35005 Canadian Pacific – departs Toddington at 11:00 and travellers can enjoy complimentary Guinness during the journey. The train returns half an hour after the last race, at about 17:00. That’s when the train really does take the strain, as car-borne race goers discover when everyone tries to leave the course at the same time. Some packages including entrance to the meeting, private facilities, lunch and tea are available. Train-only tickets, normally price £25, are available from Racing Tours at just £20 including Guinness but mention the GWR website when you call. Otherwise, you will be able to travel if you turn up on the day (cash only). Please note that tickets are only available from Racing Tours at the special price of £20, or on the day for cash only. For more information visit the Racing Tours website by clicking here or telephone 08456 528888.
A smooth crossing The GWR has just completed work on the permissive crossing over the line at Woodmancote, which will ease access between the two footpaths on either side. The crossing was installed by the Great Western Railway when the line was built a century ago, when it divided a farmer’s land. Over the years the crossing has become increasingly busy as housing has developed around the former Bishop’s Cleeve station site. For the full story see our News Extra and photographs of the crossing just after the work was completed. Click here for a press release.
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The equipment will find use throughout the railway including Broadway and Gotherington. It will also be useful for spares and for layout changes planned at Toddington and
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