It's certainly unusual to get any Gala announcements before the new season starts and, if we do it's usually from our Steam colleagues announcing one of the captures for the Cotswold Festival of Steam. On this occasion, though, the Diesel Gala is first out of the traps - despite the event being 7 months away. Peter Smith, our Gala Coordinator, has certainly been expeditious on this one and has secured the visit of the Class 50 Alliance's 50035 'Ark Royal' from our neighbours at the Severn Valley Railway.
However, as an added bonus, the C50A and Severn Valley Railway have agreed for us to have the 117 tonne, English Electric Type 4 for the summer and up until our Autumn Diesel Weekend in October. This will, potentially, see the first visit of a Class 50 to Broadway and Cheltenham Racecourse but it isn't the first time a Class 50 has been on the GWSR. Those with a long memory may remember that 50021 'Rodney' was resident on the line in the 1990s before movement elsewhere but only worked between Toddington and Far Stanley.
Don't forget that the Gala will also see a return to operation of our Class 24, 5081, after it's 2 year bogie overhaul. The end is nearly in sight with the damper springs almost ready for fitting before the reassembly of the brake rigging and re-fitting of the Traction Motors. It is hoped that this will be completed during March to allow enough time for Fitness to Run and proving work to be done.
Away from the gala news, whilst the majority of the diesel fleet undergoes Winter maintenance, one particular member of the fleet has been very active over the first few weeks of the new year. With track renewals being undertaken at Toddington and other infrastructure being undertaken up and down the line the Class 73 Electro Diesel, E6036 has been pottering up and down the line delivering materials. The following pictures are courtesy of Jo Roesen and the Extension Blog.
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| E6036 drops ballast at the end of the North Headshunt, Stanway. The Lineside team have been incredibly busy here and you can see the arches of Stanway Viaduct centre right. |
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| The ED passes the P'Way worksite at Toddington via 'siding 1' on its way to Stanton with a wagon of concrete sleepers. |
