GWR 125 Celebrations

[Chris in Prague]

Don't forget rule 1, between all of us we have rewritten enough railway history to fill a book - maybe you should get started now Chris!

Regards,

Alex

Thanks, Alex. I hope that you will be able to take part in GW125 this Easter. If not, then this summer.

I also hope that Brian's Withy Junction and Durscombe, in Somerset, will, this summer, also be joining in the celebrations. 8-)

[Hailstone]

I have been a little busy elsewhere, but can now reveal that Pentewan loco shed will hold an open day tomorrow, in conjunction with a special from Paddington hauled by Old oak's Hartlebury Castle, with return haulage by a double chimneyed loco as yet unknown. rumors abound that between them, Pentewan, Truro, Penzance and Laira will attempt to ensure that all loco workings by them will use steam locos - the diesels will have a day off - fingers crossed!

Regards,

Alex

[Chris in Prague]

That's excellent news, Alex, and we look forward to some photos. Some of the Cant Cove and Penmayne members of the Cornish Locomotive Preservation Group, together some from the GWS Bodmin, have travelled down on the first train of the day from Port Perran to Truro (via Newquay) to help out. The news about Pentewan, Truro, Penzance, and Laira sheds' efforts have quickly spread across the railway enthusiast grapevine and trains from Wadebridge to Plymouth and Newquay, and Newquay to Truro, plus Newquay to Penzance have all been strengthened with whatever stock can be found. The 'Fat Controller' at WR Divisional HQ, Plymouth, has announced a special through steam-hauled train train from Wadebridge to Penzance via Newquay and Chacewater departing at 9:30, with a one of the Chocolate & Cream RMB Mini Buffets sponsored by the North Cornwall Pasty Co. and the Castle and Headland Breweries which will also be serving "Sam's Cider" from Somerset. However, what loco. will haul it is not yet known and it could be one of the locos. in the area that had brought in a special train from beyond Cornwall. Looks like another exciting day for the enthusiasts!

[port perran]

News of the special from Wadebridge to Penzance has reached Trepol Bay where some bleary eyed enthusiasts will be up to see what loco has been rostered.
It is expected that at Truro, a Castle (which worked into the area from Swindon yesterday) will take the train on to Penzance.

[port perran]

The special from Wadebridge to Penzance was unexpectedly headed by a T9 in restored LSWR livery from Wadebridge to Trepol Bay. Stock was a mix of Chocolate and Cream and Maroon carriages.
Unfortunately, the T9 failed at Quintrell Downs East so a Hymek was hurriedly despatched from Trepol Bay to assist.
The train is seen passing Trepol Bay en-route to Port Perran where there will be a change of locomotive:

At Port Perran the two locos are replaced by a pair of Prarie Tanks for the run down to Penzance via Chacewater Junction. It is seen having just left Port Perran and passing the local woodyard/sawmills:

Meanwhile a D95XX is being used today to run brakevan shuttles to and from Lanharrack in order to raise funds for the CLPG. The Class 14 is seen preparing the vans for the days activities :

[Chris in Prague]

Many thanks for those excellent photos., Martin. [The difference in scale of the Lima BR Standard guard's avm is rather clear.] It is good to see some less photographed areas around Port Perran, too.

The railwaymen at Wadebridge were very pleased that the secret of the recently restored T9 being rostered for the special from Wadebridge to Penzance had not leaked out, (the T9 having run light engine under cover of darkness, from Trepol Bay shed where it is looked after by CLPG members of local BR staff and friends); however, the highly experienced shed foreman at Wadebridge had had his doubts about whether the T9 was ready for use on such a long journey so soon after its arrival in North Cornwall, towed by a D65XX from Eastleigh Works where it had been repainted in LSWR livery after a light mechanical overhaul, so had arranged for a Plymouth Laira "Hymek" and crew to be ready in case of any problems. (According to the enthusiast grapevine, the T9 was only part way through a rigorous inspection at Trepol Bay shed to prepare it for the summer season.)

The crew of the "Hymek" were delighted to become part of the celebrations, albeit in unfortunate circumstances and have been promised a crate of mixed bottled ales from the Castle and Headland Breweries, as thanks, if they call into the "Cornish Arms", Port Perran, after booking off duty. Sylvia and the Chelsea Girls, including 'Big' Belinda in her Easter Bunny outfit, boarded the special train with baskets of free, freshly baked hot-cross buns to give out to the passengers as they asked for donations for Dr. Barnado's and apologised for the failure of the T9.

The two "Teddy Bear" D95XXs on loan to North Cornwall from Bristol Bath Road (via St. Blazey) from 1965 are proving to be a great success (as they are able to carry out the duties for which they were designed by Swindon). Penmayne's has been very useful on PWM trains connected with the upgrading of the Bodmin Road - Wadebridge - Penmayne line.

More photos. from the Cant Cove area will be delayed a day or two, alas.

[johnlambert]

Quiet morning at Claverdon, local goods waits in the loop as a fitted goods train from Cornwall is due to pass on its way to Birmingham.







Here's some footage of the goods train, full of fresh vegetables from Cornwall.


http://youtu.be/otst9iGty6c

[Chris in Prague]

Many thanks for the photo. update and video, John. I think all those cattle trucks full of fresh spring vegetables are from the Port Perran area. Good to see that one of the "Castle Estates" containers is amongst the containers on Conflats from the Wadebridge area. In view of the increasing popularity of "The Best from the Far West", one of the brand new 15' "Castle Estates" insulated vans will be allocated to traffic for the Birmingham (WR) area. The Commercial Manager of the "Castle Estates" has also ordered the first of a pair of brand new 15' "Castle Estates" pallet vans as more and more customers are insisting on deliveries on pallets to protect the boxes of fresh vegetables and the second of these vans is also due to be allocated to the same traffic whilst the first will be allocated to the overnight express goods service to Nine Elms, London, as soon as the CLPG painting team at Cant Cove return from the GW125 celebrations to finish painting it!

[Jerry Howlett]

A T9 on Gods Wonderful Railway celebrations ? No wonder it failed, I suspect a higher power was at work...

[Chris in Prague]

A T9 on Gods Wonderful Railway celebrations ? No wonder it failed, I suspect a higher power was at work...

Similar comments have been heard amongst some of the (G)WR enthusiasts, Jerry, but not among the local GWS members who understand how the non-availability of some of their locos. stranded at Cant Cove left the local BR management with no choice but to roster some emergency SR steam and WR diesel-hydraulic locos. Overall, everyone concerned with the actual running of the event thought it went very well and was a very good learning experience for all involved for the upcoming longer and bigger summer celebrations.

The Lord and Lady have already announced plans for a grand co-ordinating conference to be held at Trevelver Castle with all the local councils in the South-West of England, BR WR and SR management, railway union representatives, the CLPG and GWS branches, and the commercial sponsors (the Castle and Headland Breweries and the North Cornwall Pasty Co., plus the Castle Estates) to ensure that the summer events will be the best yet.

All those involved with the planning, management and running of the local Easter events have been invited to the sponsored (by the Castle and Headland Breweries, "Sam's Cider", and the North Cornwall Pasty Co.) celebrations, this evening, at the "Station Hotel" in Trepol Bay, the local railwaymen having drawn lots to decide who will have to refrain from drinking alcohol so that they are able to work tomorrow's normal off-season timetable.

Sylvia and the Chelsea Girls had a great Easter but will be back to London on tomorrow's 8AM to Waterloo and have booked tables for breakfast in the restaurant car of the Bulleid twin dining car set which will be added to their train at Exeter.

[port perran]

The GW 125 celebrations in Cornwall have now largely drawn to a close. Despite some murmurings amongst enthusiasts, it is generally felt that including ex LSWR locomotives in the event greatly added to the overall interest.
The staff at both the Station Hotel in Trepol Bay and the Cornish Arms at Port Perran are looking forward to a well earned rest after a hectic few days but first the Station Hotel is hosting s special event for all the staff and volunteers who helped to make GW 125 such a success.
The final pictures from Port Perran follow.
First we have a VERY busy scene at Port Perran earlier this evening. The Manor 4-6-0 is departing with 3 carriages of a return working to Wolverhampton Low Level. This train wil pick up an addiional 7 carriages at truro where the Manor will be replaced by a Castle. Similarly the Prarie tank will follow with 2 carriages of an eventual 9 carriage train to London.
The 2 panniers are shunting their demonstration goods trains back into the yard whilst the 94XX waits to return the empty stock of a special  local shuttle service to its home at Truro.


The Manor gets underway bound for Truro :

And finally, back to near normality as a Class 22 (D63XX) departs with the remaining empty stock to Truro. There are (as you can see) an unusual number of ex GW locos on Port Perran shed waiting to return to their home depots :

The local railway staff are mightily relieved to have reached the end of a very busy but hugely enjoyable event. They will no doubt look forward to more celebrations in the Summer.

[Chris in Prague]

Many thanks, indeed, Martin, for organising this thread and all your excellent photos., plus everyone else who has joined in with the fun and added their great pictures, too. Last, but by no means least, many thanks to Jon, whose original idea GW125 in 1960 was.

Let's make the summer's events even bigger and better! (And, despite some mumbling by some of the visiting railway enthusiasts, in Cornwall everyone is agreed that the SR and its locos. and staff should participate, too! With difficult years ahead, everyone, as Lady Penelope stresses, must work together for the greater good of Cornwall, its railways and the economy they support.)

Please, also see the update, above.

[port perran]

Thanks John for those excellent photos from Claverdon earlier today.
And Chris....... I mistakenly put that Lima brakevan (the only one I have) into that train. It does look ridiculously large when compared with GF and Dapol versions !  It's OK when on its own but looks silly when with other brakevans.
The chief photographer is exhausted after the last four days and is looking forward to relaxing with a large (very) glass of red wine this evening.

[johnlambert]

Unfortunately no Castle was available for the journey back to Wolverhampton Low Level.  A Hall was found and, to assist the train on the long, steep climb into Birmingham a Manor was provided to assist and piloted the train from Stratford.

The station is deserted as the returning train makes its way back home.



You can't see but there are Chocolate and Cream coaches coupled behind the three Maroon Colletts.



Thanks for all the comments, I'm looking forward to the summer celebrations.

[Hailstone]

At 6am on Easter Monday morning a special train left Paddington for Pentewan to take enthusiasts to the Pentewan shed open day, calling at Reading, Swindon, Bristol Newton Abbot and Plymouth. The train was hauled by Old Oak Common's 7033 Hartlebury Castle and consited of 7 coaches including a buffet car. along the way, there had been much speculation amongst the passengers as to which loco would haul the return journey, although a "king was still out of the question, as the Albert bridge at Saltash had not yet been strengthened to take them.  The train arrived at Trewoon juction on time and was captured on film by a local enthusiast and it is reproduced here.



As the train eased into Pentewan station, photos of it were taken by enthusiasts already at the shed and in the hills above



an auto train was waiting an adjacent platform to take people who wished to go to the shed by rail or they could enter the shed from the road.



when they arrived they were astonished to find that hidden deliberately from view of the station was 92220 "Evening Star" the lsat stem locomotive built for British Railways which had only been completed a couple of weeks before - this was the double chimneyed loco that would take them home, and astonishment gave way to excitement as they were able to photograph and examine her closely for a couple of hours,









and explore the rest of the shed which had been packed with engines that were not all locals, (the shedmaster having asked for a few to be sent from neighbouring sheds) before it was time to board the train for the retun journey home.



As if the crew had been told to put on a show "Evening Star" treated everyone to a pyrotechnic exit from Pentewan, with a display of power and acceleration and that the class bacame famous for. Slowing only to take the junction at Trewoon, she powered away towards Paddington, her eventual destination







The shedmaster at Pentewan received a report that when the train reached Paddington at midnight, the passengers gathered round the engine and cheered the crew for the magnificent run home, which at one point reached 82 Mph! (for those who might think this a bit far fetchd, I was part of the service crew on a round trip from Didcot to Tyseley and "Evening Star was independently timed at 82Mph down Hatton bank. my mate, who was on the footplate at the time, said if there had been an ejector seat there he would have used it!)

Regards,

Alex