That was the gala that was!

The weekend just passed saw the annual Diesel Gala - the department's chance to parade our wares and have the line to ourselves for 3 days to celebrate all things diesel locomotive. This year was hoped to be a big year with Class 50, 50035 'Ark Royal' joining us from our friends at the Class 50 Alliance up the road at the Severn Valley Railway, being the 2nd of its class on the line - 50021 'Rodney' was resident on the line between 1994 and 1996 - but the first to reach Cheltenham Racecourse AND Broadway, and the return to service of our Class 24, 5081 after its 3 year bogie overhaul, as well as being joined by the Bus Gala on the Sunday.

Sadly, best laid plans and all that, fate conspired to try and put a dampner on things. For the 3rd year in a row the weather had been blisteringly hot up until the weekend of the gala only for rain to nearly wash out a day and for it to be overcast and cool for the remainder! Typical!

Saturday of the Gala was a wet one! E6036 arrives at Toddington in one of the many spectacular downpours!

After having visiting Class 26, 5310, ruled out from taking a service role earlier in the month and Class 20, D8137 being ruled out with a Traction Motor issue, we also had to contend with losing 5081 on the Sunday before the Gala after it was failed whilst rostered on the GREEN timetable. The loco had been a little slow to load up and it had been noticed that something had been arcing in the engine room. It would appear that the Load Regulator was sticking when winding back and causing a short. One of the 'star' locos was now out of the running. Cue mad timetable re-write #1! 

That wasn't to be the last thing, either. On the Thursday an incident caused damage to the point work on the lead in to Broadway station. This point is operated by a ground frame and the incident caused severe damage to the point blades taking them out of service meaning that we could not facilitate run rounds. Cue mad timetable rewrite #2 to put top and tail operation in to practice! Hopefully there wouldn't be anymore! And, luckily, other than the weather on Saturday, there was nothing that couldn't be dealt with. 

So, to the Gala weekend itself. Friday was a fine day and many took the advantage of the sun to take some spectacular photos. Many of the Class 50 fan club had scheduled to attend the Friday to sample 50035 before traveling to Derby on the Saturday for a railtour utilising Garcia Hanson's Class 50, 50008 'Thunderer' (my particular favourite!) - the first railtour the loco had performed in 28 years! This meant that the services on Friday were very well patronised and all locos performed exceptionally. I couldn't get the day off of work to be there but one of our fellow operational volunteers is also an intrepid photographer and was on hand to take some excellent photos. Thanks Alex.

D6948 heads away from the Aqueduct as it heads towards Toddington on 26/07/19. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould)

Visitor 50035 'Ark Royal' makles it's second trip through Bishops Cleeve on its way to Cheltenham. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould) 

Earlier in the day, 50035 powers away from Cheltenham after becoming the first of its Class to reach Cheltenham Racecourse. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould)

With the disappointment of not having double headed Class 26's abated, resident D5343 powers through Hayles Abbey Halt on its way to Cheltenham. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould)

After a quick telephone exchange with the photographer to find out his vantage point, Driver Rich Scott opens up 'Peak' 45149 as it heads under the aqueduct on its way towards Toddington. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould)

Toddington, again, provided the main focal point with the Diesel Shed open allowing the paying public to have an insight into what we do and to, perhaps, part with some hard earned 'readies' at some of the sales stalls. In the shed on display were Class 20 D8137, Class 47 1693 and Class 24 5081. The Class 20 was displayed with its body side doors open so that people could look at the internals of a locomotive. 

Late retired 5081 sits in the Diesel Shed as a static exhibit. The loco was failed the prvious weekend with Load Regulator issues. 

D8137 heads the line of display locos, including 1693 and 5081, inside the Diesel Shed. 

In the car park at Toddington Class 37, 37215, and Llangollen's Class 26, 5310 were parked on the unloading road and made available for cab visits and tours. We had hoped to have 5310 available in some capacity over the weekend before it has its extensive Traction Motor work completed and, with thanks to the Llangollen Diesel Group, an agreement could be reached. Both locos were incredibly popular with enthusiasts and families getting up close and personal with two of British Rail's most iconic locomotive types. 

Sitting out its first gala in a long time, Class 37, 37215, sits on its accommodation bogies in the car park at Toddington providing the opportunity for the public to get up close and personal with a 'Welsh Deltic'. 

Llangollen's Class 26, 5310, keeps 37215 company in the car park at Toddington. 

Our colleagues at Carriage and Wagon in Winchcombe also threw open their doors to allow the public the opportunity to see behind the scenes with the crucial work that goes on in restoring our rolling stock to such a high calibre. 

  
Saturday morning and I was allocated to cab visit duty on 37215. Great!! I get to stay in the dry!! Leaving Bristol in glorious sunshine, by the time I hit Gloucester on the M5 it was now overcast and decidedly murky. Low cloud, drizzle and it was only getting worse. The Cotswold edge was shrouded in very low cloud and the rain was incessant. Strangely, the other side of the Cotswolds was reasonably dry! It didn't put off a surprising number of intrepid visitors and most train services were very well patronised. Cab visits were also seeing a number of people who, rather than just heading for the dry, were actually quite interested and a number of impromptu engine room tours were conducted by myself and Alex (of photo fame earlier). Prior to prepping the blue 'Growler' for its admiring audience I went for a mooch around the yard after signing on. More clearance has gone on where the new facilities block will be sited. The old toilet and shower block has been....squashed flat and you can now get a good view of the Toddington Up Home bracket, Signal Box and the rusting carcass of Class 107 DMS, Sc52029. With work focused on the Class 117 and the Class 122 'bubble car', this DMU car (along with Class 117 DMBS, W51372) has been left to the elements as it awaits its turn for restoration.

Class 107 DMS, Sc52029, in its coat of many colours. The toilet and shower block has now been flattened in front.

In the yard ED Class 73, E6036 was being readied for its rare sojourn on passenger services. The loco is generally relegated to operating the P-Way and Ballast trains on the line however, this year, was the first year in two since it worked passenger services. One for the haulage nuts!

E6036 is prepped for a rare outing on passenger services. 

Also in the yard two stalwart Western Region locomotives were being readied for their next turns of service. Our visiting loco 50035 'Ark Royal' was keeping esteemed company with fellow WR express locomotive 6024 'King Edward II'. Both locomotives would have been been based at Old Oak Common TMD and were used on the same express services from London Paddington to Bristol, Devon and the Midlands....albeit 30-odd years apart. What a great sight to see on Toddington MPD.

Two ex- Old Oak Common stalwarts sit in the rain on Toddington MPD.

Class 47, 47376 'Freightliner 1995' was also in the yard being prepped for its turns of the day.

Type 4 heaven! 

Our returning shunter 'DES' was also in the yard being prepped for a morning of training with potential Drivers. Because it has been out of service for nearly 2 years no one is competent to drive the powerful shunter and, with Bryan Parson's Class 04, D2280, needing time out of service for tyre turning, the gala weekend was seen as the perfect time to do it.

DES in the yard on Sunday morning having a rest after its day of training new Drivers on Saturday. 

Other pictures from Saturday......

'Peak', 45149, arrives at Toddington with a Broadway bound service. 

D6948 moves away from siding 1 in order to drop onto the back of a Broadway bound service. 

Class 26, D5343, makes a spirited getaway from Toddington with a Cheltenham bound service. 

'Hoover' 50035 'Ark Royal' makes a typically smoky departure from Toddington with a southbound service. 

Class 47, 47376 'Freightliner 1995' awaits departure time with a Cheltenham service. 

Sunday saw the car park at Toddington overrun with diesels of another kind......buses. Back last year, the GWSR Board and the Events Teams decided to move the Bus Gala to the Sunday of the Diesel Gala. Seemed like a logical idea given that we could now celebrate two crucial forms of diesel based public transport. This is the first year of it happening and was very much an experiment. From the outside looking in it looked like it worked reasonably well....although I am sure others will have their own opinions. However, it was good to see two forms of diesel transport together at the same event. Having spoken to the Bus event organiser, David, on Saturday, he was hopeful of around 30 buses joining the event with the oldest being built in the 1930s and the newest being a brand new 19 plate vehicle from Reading. Again, services were very well patronised and the stations were a hum of activity. The weather was much better and this helped to promote a really good atmosphere around the railway. I was rostered on Class 37, D6948 and we had an early start, dropping onto the back of the first Broadway bound service.

D6948 in the yard with its English Electric cousin, 50035.

In the station at Toddington ED Class 73, E6036, was sat in the dock siding awaiting a light engine departure to Winchcombe and, in the car park, 37215 was keeping a vintage Bristol bus company whilst the bus's owning group set up their merchandise table.

The ED awaits prepping and light engine departure to Winchcombe. 

Crosville liveried Bristol built L5G Bus of 1950 with BR Blue liveried English Electric Type 3 (Class 37), 37215, of 1964. 

Over the morning the car park was to fill with a wide variety of different buses from a large spread of operators with a huge range of liveries.

A rather rushed shot of the car park as it fills up on the Sunday. 

Overall, estimated numbers of attendees were around the 2000 mark which puts this years event on a par with last years Gala event which is testament to the hardwork put in by the organisers, roster clerks, loco owning groups and those volunteers that rostered themselves in to cover throughout the weekend. No rest for the wicked and the organisers now press on to sorting October's event!

E6036 slows for the token exchange at Gotherington. The legend that is Dave Newman, as Signalman, gets ready for the double change with Secondman Phil Seymour.

Cousins meet at Winchcombe. 50035 arrives with a southbound service as Kev Jarvis and I wait with D6948 on a northbound service. 

D6948, having completed a shunt to re-organise the shed, ticks away after being shut down; its exercise done for the day. 

One of the consequences of the points incident at Broadway sees the timetables changed to accommodate the need to top and tail all services. This means that a diesel will be used all day on rotated turns covering the RED and PURPLE timetables as well as an extra diesel on GREEN timetable days. No information on allocated locomotives will be available until the last minute due to working around those crews that are available at the time. Keep up to date on the GWSR Facebook page and via the GWSR website.