How many got the cryptic clue in the last blog? No? Well, don't worry as the cat is out of the bag and all official.
For the 2025 Diesel Gala, and the reason why everything has been a bit slow on the information side, we are incredibly happy to announce the return of the very first mainline diesel to have been restored at Toddington. We are, of course, on about.....
50021 'Rodney'!
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| Class 50, 50021 'Rodney' seen at Toddington during its residence. This was taken in April 1994 when the loco had been in traffic for a little over 5 months. Notice the lack of footbridge! (Courtesy of Martin Loader) |
'Dave', as the loco is affectionately known (if you know your Only Fools and Horses) arrived at the GWSR in December 1992. It first headed to Alresford on the Mid Hants Railway for storage after it was purchased by a private consortium before a home base was negotiated at Toddington. At this point the Diesel Department was still in its formative state however the department at the time had a small group who possessed an exceptional amount of experience in BR locomotives, some of which are still current volunteers - former Plymouth Laira and Cardiff Canton fitter Paul Good amongst them. Over the course of a year Paul, along with Steve Madge (owner of 20137 and 20228, as well as another Canton fitter) and a determined group managed to resurrect the loco and it would see regular use on trains which, at that time, only ran from Toddington to Far Stanley.
'Dave' would stay at the railway until late 1995 when it was moved to Bo'ness and then on to Tyseley where 50021 would languish for a number of years. During its tenure at the GWSR, 50021 would be joined by new diesel arrivals in the shape of 20137, 37215, and 47105, whose restorations were helped by the knowledge and experience gained from restoring 'Rodney'. Seems apt that 50021 should return almost 30 Years after it left.
However, it hasn't been an easy road to getting it to attend and this is why the information has been a little stifled in being released. We were in the process of confirming D6700 as our visiting loco for this year when we were contacted by 50021's owner, Paul Spracklen. He has made no secret of his desire to get 'Dave' back to Toddington however, in previous years, the timing has been all wrong. On this occasion, the loco would have been heading 'past the door' so to speak as it traveled from its appearance at the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway's Diesel Gala in early July to our local neighbours at the Dean Forest for their Gala. However, there was an inactive period of 10 or so weeks where the loco would not be doing anything and, it just so happened that our Gala was during that time! So, after many phone calls and emails to sort transport out, we snared the mighty beast!
'Rodders' (another Only Fools and Horses inspired nickname) will be with us for about 8 weeks after our Gala where we hope to run it on a number of normal running days and, if it can be organised, on a Driver Ex.
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| A newly restored 50021 basks in the sun. (Courtesy of Railadvent/George Browning) |
It will be a wonderful 'homecoming' that will see the loco visit Broadway and Cheltenham Racecourse stations for the first time allowing 'Rodney' to stretch its legs a bit more than back in the 1990s. It is also the first time since 2019 that a Class 50 will have graced the GWSR - when 50035 'Ark Royal' visited from the SVR. Ironically, that event was our biggest Gala to date (even having the pair of Deltics in 2022 didn't get close!)........I think 2025 is shaping up to break all that!!!
