The Last Hurrah!

Firstly, here is hoping that you all had a good Festive Period and New Year.

2017 has made way for 2018, Christmas has been and gone and, the last few weeks of life on the GWSR have certainly been a mixed bag. Crammed into the last two weeks of the running season there have been celebrations and disappointments in equal measure.

The 23rd December saw the new extension to Broadway joined to the rest of the GWSR network. Steve M and Richard S took the P'Way Team's Mess Coach and Tools Van up to the Childswickham Road bridge using the Class 20, D8137, and the Class 73, E6036. The team had completed the connection by lunchtime and, with the Mess Coach and Van now coupled to the loaded ballast wagons stored at Broadway, Steve and Richard eased the train into Platform 1 at Broadway Station.....the first train to call at Broadway since 1960. They also managed to drop the first load of ballast in the station. A huge effort by our colleagues in the P'Way team, although the fun doesn't stop for them just yet! Below is the triumphant picture of the P'Way team (courtesy of Jo Roeson/GWSR P'Way Blog) with the ED and train in the platform....

The Saturday P'Way gang (there is also a Wednesday gang) along with the first train into Broadway station. Hats off to you, Gents! (Courtesy Jo Roeson/GWSR P'Way Blog)

The Christmas period is always a busy one for the railway with the Santa Specials usually fully booked by the end of the Summer, the Christmas Cracker Mixed Traffic Gala and the New Years Day Races at Cheltenham. However, it wasn't anticipated that the weather would nearly curtail the running season early.

Christmas Eve saw Class 37, D6948 used on the last round trip on the RED timetable. One of the pre-cursors of the loco being based at Toddington was that it was retro-fitted with a steam heat boiler for providing heating to the rolling stock. Although Class 47, D1693 also has a working boiler, it is still in the midst of its overhaul, as is Class 24, 5081 although the boiler on the 'Rat' isn't operable. With the temperatures hovering around freezing the passengers would have welcomed heat all day round. However, after Christmas, temperatures plummeted for the BLUE timetable. The 27th and 28th December saw Gloucestershire (and most of the South West) receive a covering of snow. The fall in the Cotswolds was enough to see services suspended as roads became treacherous and signal/point rodding froze. The car park at Toddington became a skating rink and electricity was lost. A concerted effort was put into trying to clear the car park for the final gala event of the year....the Christmas Cracker Mixed Traffic Gala. For this event we would have three diesels out, along with two steam engines and the DMU. Rostered diesel locos were Class 37, D6948, Class 45, 45149 and, Class 20, D8137. I was rostered on D6948 which meant an 0730 clock on in order to shunt the loco out of the shed, preheat, set up the boiler and run the usual pre service check over. On arrival at Toddington it was easy to see the culmination of the effort to clear the car park.

Iceberg ahead!!!

The lying snow did give the whole area a suitably wintery feel - the temperature being about 2C. Dean (Growler Group Chairman and our Boiler Man for the day) and Driver, Andrew (an ex-Old Oak Driver and, one of our Traction Inspectors) had already arrived and we duly set about prepping the loco. Dean gave us both a crash course in operating the pre-heater (minimises the stresses of a cold start on the engine) before we went about checking the outside of the loco and refilling the boiler water tank.

Out in the yard the steam crews were busy prepping their steeds ready for the riggers of the day. At this point we were none the wiser to the issues that would raise their head during the day........leading to the steam crews, and myself and Andrew, working well into darkness.

With pre-heating having been done, we bribed asked Mark and Eleanor on GWR Manor 7820  'Dinmore Manor' to do us a turn and fetch D6948 out of road 11. As we don't have extraction in the Diesel Shed we try not to start locos up whilst under cover as the fumes could cause problems if someone happened to be working within the shed.

With the boiler filler hose attached, Andrew completes the remaining external prep on D6948 in the snow and ice. E6036 sits outside road 10 awaiting more attention.

GWR/BR Built Modified 'Hall', 7093 'Foremarke Hall' melts some of the snow and ice as she heads off shed. D6948 ticks over in the background before following.

Once off shed, coupled to 'Dinmore Manor' and the chocolate and cream rake, we were to run Class 1 (express) to Cheltenham Race Course. The snow that had fallen across the region made for some spectacular views but also required some careful driving by Andrew, with a 350 tonne trailing load behind.

The view from the Secondman cab window as we headed through Dixton. In the far distance, the hills of the Forest of Dean. 

The view forward of Dixton and Oxenton Hills. The snow still extant across the four and six foot and, at lineside.

We had left Toddington around 15 minutes down, under normal circumstances this would be easily picked up without further problems however, today was not to be forgiving. On arrival at Cheltenham we split from Dinmore Manor for it to run round and take the train back to Buckland. We then followed into Platform 2 to await the next arrival.

Awaiting the next arival at Cheltenham Race Course.

 The next 'down' service was hauled by GWR/BR Modified Hall 7093 'Foremarke Hall', she stayed attached and we moved onto the front to lead the train back to Buckland. However, we were to receive news from the Cheltenham Signalman that 'Dinmore Manor' was stuck at Gotherington as there was an issue with the token machine at Winchcombe and the path for the Manor into Winchcombe could not be given. It would be a 20 minute or so wait for us to depart. Cue another cup of tea!

Waiting for the previous 'up' train to clear Gotherington and rectification of the signalling problems. 

Things were to snowball (pun totally intended) from here on. 'Peak' 45149 was to fail on a 'down' service at Toddington which was to throw the timetable out by over an hour and set locos out of sequence, so much so, that things were hastily changed. On arrival from Buckland the 'Peak' seemed in fine form. However, when powered up to leave for Cheltenham, the amps died and no power could be obtained. Class 20, D8137, was called upon to drag the 'Peak' back to shed. On shed, the engine was switched off to see if it reset any issues. It didn't! In fact, the engine would not even turn over. It was left on Toddington MPD awaiting an assessment to ascertain the actual problem. Eventually, Andrew and I would find ourselves working one final turn to/from Cheltenham - getting back into Toddington at about 1745 and then having to wait around for the last working to arrive at Toddington so that we could shunt release the loco. Neil was to replace Andrew in the driving seat for this - Andrew needing to get off home.

With the headcode ablaze, dusk begins to settle across Winchcombe on the final run.

It did mean a run in the dark which, for me, was the second time in two weeks -  a third was to follow on New Years Day. The railway takes on a different air under darkness and requires steady attention from both crew on the footplate. It certainly gives you an appreciation of how the crews of old worked in those conditions, especially when interpreting lights and signals. You can understand how easy it was to mistake a car's brake light for a red signal lamp!

Day 2, Saturday, of the Cracker event was to be just as eventful. Our other Class 37, 37215, had been pre-heated and prepared to replace 45149 however, it was the turn of the steam department to suffer a failure with 'Dinmore Manor' being replaced by Pannier Tank 5526. There was also a set of broken fishplates to replace at Southam that saw services delayed. Despite all the issues faced by services the resilience of the railway shone through and things were concluded fully although all fellow crews agreed that two days like that had not been encountered for some time.

Below are some photos from Malcolm Ranieri from the Saturday of the Christmas Cracker event......

EE Type 3, D6948 rounds the curve at Didbrook. (Courtesy of Malcolm Ranieri)

EE Type 1, D8137 heads away from Winchcombe with a Cheltenham service. (Courtesy of Malcolm Ranieri)

Class 37, 37215, having replace the failed 45149, approaches Gotherington with a Buckland bound service. (Courtesy of Malcolm Ranieri) 

The Class 117 3-car DMU heads towards Cheltenham. (Courtesy of Malcolm Ranieri)

New Years Day saw the last timetabled services for the 2017 season. Again, I was rostered on D6948, this time with Mark S. We were to be joined by Bob Clegg from our friends at the DEPG along with a couple of gents from the DTG at the Severn Valley Railway. Bob was up to man the boiler and to give it a once over. The guys from the DTG were interested in seeing how it operated with a view to potentially reinstating the boiler on D1015 'Western Champion'. Before that D6948 needed pre-heating and the water tank refilling. This threw up a new fault that will need to be rectified during the close season - the pre-heater pump had fractured meaning that fluid was leaking on to the bed plate. Luckily the engine had enough warmth in it to prevent a cold start but this element will need replacing ready for the new running season.

Tim, Richard W and Dave M from the Brush Type 4 Group were all up to work on D1693. Several large parts, including the Piston Gallery doors required refitting meaning a spell under the gantry. A shunt was required to free D6948 but to also get D1693 under the gantry. During a break in the weather Mark went to power up the Class 04 shunter but it wasn't playing ball and refused to start. Plan B was to power up 37215 which was, again, on pre-heat ready to be used on a stock move to Winchcombe on the 2nd Jan.

Super Shunter Toddington style! 37215 positions D1693 under the gantry during a break in the weather.

Mark prepares to winch the Gallery Door up and into the engine room of D1693.

The Gallery Door is lowered cautiously into the engine room.

With this job finished the weather closed in once more and a steady drizzle set in again, although this was to die away shortly before heading out with D6948 for the 1555 service to Cheltenham. Dave and Tim went on to 47376 'Freightliner 1995' and the continuing work to reseal the solebar around the cabs. With No 2 end now done and primed, No 1 end has now been cleared ready for new metal work to be welded in.

Dave cuts away more rusted metal and clears the debris away from the solebar cavity on 47376.

With timetabled services now at an end all locos are now squirraled away for the winter maintenance programme. All the mainline fleet have repairs that are required - some more pressing than others - as well as exams and fitness to run assessments ready for the new running season that starts in early March. The shunters, 11230 and DES have repairs pending as does the DMU. Work on the Bubble Car is ongoing with a view to get it finished, ideally, for later in the 2018 season as well as restoration work on the Class 107 power car and the new Class 117 DMBS cars.