......pretty darn good, if you ask me!
Last weekend (25 - 27 July) we held our 2025 Diesel Gala. As visitors we had EE Type 3/Class 37 pioneer, D6700 from the NRM and provided courtesy of the museum and the Heavy Tractor Group, alongside EE Type 4/Class 50, 50031 'Rodney', which was provided courtesy of the 50021 Locomotive Group. 50021 was returning to the GWSR for the first time since leaving 30 years ago after its first restoration, which took place at Toddington under the supervision of the, then, fledgling Diesel Department.
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| Our first Gala visitor, D6700. |
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| And, our second Gala visitor, 50021 'Rodney'. |
It was hoped that both locomotives would provide a big draw and initial indications certainly give that impression as we welcomed around 1700 people over the three days. Saturday would certainly prove to be a bumper day with all the car parks full and even the field at Toddington 3/4 full.
The evening 'Beerex' was a sight to behold. Not only was the haulage provided by all three Class 37s (D6700, 37215 and D6948) but, certainly for the first time since I have been a volunteer (I started in 2013), the train was full and standing for its trip to Cheltenham and was still pretty full on arrival back at Toddington! RCS will have done a roaring trade in our railway beers.....especially as our guests, Hawkstone, had run out of their IPA on Saturday afternoon! Diesel enthusiasts are thirsty people! The weather probably helped too!
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| The 3 Amigos! D6948, D6700 and 37215 are lined up together ready for the Evening Photoshoot on Thursday 24 July, 2025. All three would work the Toddington - CRC leg of the Saturday night 'Beerex'. |
This year would see a few changes to the format that we have successfully run over the last few years. One constant question we would get from the 'bashing' community was 'why don't the shunters operate during the Gala?' The major reason was that only our Class 03, D2182 had clearance to operate on the mainline and with passenger carrying stock as its vacuum brakes are kept well maintained for stock testing purposes at Carriage and Wagon - where the '03' is based. However, our Gala committee had other ideas and came up with the opportunity to get the '03' and one of our Class 04s into the mix. Down at Winchcombe, between trains, D2182 was utilised on Brake Van rides utilising our Queen Mary brake van, with our '04', D2280, being used at Toddington MPD for cab rides. Both of these proved exceedingly popular and will probably now become a staple part of our Gala fayre.
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| D2182 rests in the C&W yard at Winchcombe in between Brake Van runs. |
As well as our guest locomotives, we were pleased to announce that our Class 26, 26043 would play some part in the Gala. In the lead up to the event, the CMDG team were busy with fettling and rectifying some of the left over faults and issues with the loco. Luckily, most were completed in time and the loco took its bow on the Saturday working in tandem with 45149 for insurance.
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| 26043 rests in the yard at Toddington while the CMDG team get the loco as prepared as possible for its Gala bow! |
Sadly, the loco didn't work as scheduled on the Sunday but this was not down to the locomotive itself. The booked Driver was suddenly unavailable for the Sunday and, due the length of time the loco has been out of traffic, no one else was competent to drive it. A shame, but as volunteers sometimes other things have to come first. However, as you will see below in the loco rosters, 26043 will run on Thursday 28 August - it's first regular service diagram for over 3 years!
26043 will also have a 'Double Up Sunday' with Class 20, 20228 on Sunday 21 September - evoking memories of Scottish operations in the 1980s when Class 20s and 26s (both Blue Star Multiple Working) would often work together on both passenger and freight workings.
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| 26043's Haymarket TMDs 'Edinburgh Castle' depot emblem. The loco would only wear this whilst allocated at Haymarket for a few weeks before being moved to Inverness. 26043 was one of only a few locos ever given the emblem. |
Back to the Gala, or the night before, when we ran another evening Photoshoot opportunity for the public to come and see behind the scenes and get some shots of the locos on shed. Alex R and I undertook the shunt to get all the locos in the correct places, but not before heading down to Winchcombe with D6948 and the Queen Mary brake van before heading back with rake 4 and a BSK from C&W. The BSK was one of the displays in the shed, alongside Class 24, 24081, which is nearing the end of its engine overhaul.
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| BSK M35308 inside the Diesel Shed during the Gala along with 24081 and 11230. This will be the first of 4 coaches to eventually be painted in BR Blue/Grey. (GWSR Marketing) |
The GWSR Board have given the go ahead for our 4th rake to be painted in BR Blue and Grey livery and the BSK is to be the first to be completed - once C&W have completed some bodywork repairs on it. The Diesel Department will complete the painting and the BSK was used to start the fundraising for getting the rake together. The GWSR Board will have a formal donation page ready soon however, if you would like to donate, you can do so in person by popping by the Diesel Shed on a Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday.
Out in the yard, the 50021 Groups' maintenance team were busy trying to overcome a slight issue with 'Rodney' that was stopping the loco from producing anything more than notch 4. The loco didn't need moving so we worked around it.
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| The 1980s return to Toddington! BR Blue heaven. |
Whilst having a break after getting everything in the appropriate spots, we were treated to a huge start up from the yard that made the mess cabin shake! We all looked at each other as much to say...'Rodney must be fixed, then!' And, so it was. As we went back into the yard to put the finishing touches to the line up, a very happy group were stood outside the loco as it burbled away behind. Full power had been achieved and 50021 would run faultlessly throughout the weekend!
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The photo shoot would go well with some amazing photos being shared on social media platforms. We even had a couple come all the way from Australia to get a photo, and experience the noise, of the three Class 37s! That is dedication!
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| Traction Inspector, and retired BR and Eurostar Driver, Tony Boston gets reacquainted with an old friend in 50021. Tony would have driven the loco, and its kin, whilst based at Exeter. Group Rep and Conductor/Driver Marco (from the Epping and Ongar Railway) looks on. |
Over the whole weekend we had 10 locomotives in operation...probably the most we have had ever...and, hopefully this has now set a bit of a bar to maintain for future Gala events. 2026 ideas are already starting to swirl around!!
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| 47376 'Freightliner 1995' pulls away from Winchcombe on Sunday 27 July 2025. |
However with the Gala now over, we are back to the bread and butter work on the railway. Our loco roster is below with the correct allocations as of 1st August. Of, course usual caveats apply regarding availability or operational requirements. 50021 will work three more days before it heads to our neighbours across the River Severn at the Dean Forest Railway. We also have our 'Double Up Sunday' events starting with D6948 and 37215 on 31 August.
We are also having a 'Rail 200' celebration weekend over 27/28 September with information to be provided soon on what is happening across the railway to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.
|
Date |
TT |
Loco(s) Rostered |
|
Sat 02 Aug |
|
47105 |
|
Sun 03 Aug |
|
50021 |
|
Tue 05 Aug |
|
20137 |
|
Wed 06 Aug |
|
20137 |
|
Thu 07 Aug |
|
D6948 |
|
Sat 09 Aug |
|
45149 |
|
Sun 10 Aug |
|
47105 |
|
Tue 12 Aug |
|
D6948 |
|
Wed 13 Aug |
|
50021 |
|
Thu 14 Aug |
|
45149 |
|
Sat 16 Aug |
|
45149 |
|
Sun 17 Aug |
|
50021 |
|
Tue 19 Aug |
|
47105 |
|
Wed 20 Aug |
|
47105 |
|
Thu 21 Aug |
|
20137 |
|
Sat 23 Aug |
|
47376 |
|
Sun 24 Aug |
|
47376 |
|
Mon 25 Aug |
|
47376 |
|
Wed 27 Aug |
|
47376 |
|
Thu 28 Aug |
|
26043 |
|
Sat 30 Aug |
|
45149 |
|
Sun 31 Aug |
|
37215 & D6948 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tue 02 Sep |
|
47376 |
|
Wed 03 Sep |
|
37215 |
|
Thu 04 Sep |
|
47376 |
|
Sat 06 Sep |
|
TBC |
|
Sun 07 Sep |
|
47105 & 47376 |
|
Tue 09 Sep |
|
D6948 |
|
Wed 10 Sep |
|
D6948 |
|
Thu 11 Sep |
|
45149 |
|
Sat 13 Sep |
|
D6948 |
|
Sun 14 Sep |
|
20137 & 20228 |
|
Tue 16 Sep |
|
D6948 |
|
Wed 17 Sep |
|
D6948 |
|
Thu 18 Sep |
|
47105 |
|
Sat 20 Sep |
|
D6948 |
|
Sun 21 Sep |
|
20228 & 26043 |
|
Tue 23 Sep |
|
47105 |
|
Wed 24 Sep |
|
TBC |
|
Thu 25 Sep |
|
D6948 |
|
Sat 27 Sep |
|
RAIL 200 – Locos TBC |
|
Sun 28 Sep |
|
RAIL 200 – Locos TBC |
|
Tue 30 Sep |
|
37215 |
