Tuesday, 20 July 2021

Scorchio...and not just the weather!

This weekend, taking in the 16th to 19th July, was one that a lot of people were looking forward too...and, not just those of us in the department. Friday the 16th was earmarked as the grand unveiling of Class 47, 47105 after its near decade long overhaul. As happened, the loco was to break cover (virtually as well as in reality) a few days before as it was shunted around the yard at Toddington. 

Resplendent in it's new BR Blue livery, 47105 ventures outside of the shed for the first time since it's overhaul completion. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould)

BR Blue vibes at Toddington as 47105 and 37215 rest in the yard. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould)

D5343 continues to have its bodywork repairs as 47105 and 37215 rest in adjacent roads. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould)

However, the 16th was still earmarked as it's first passenger run after completion of its overhaul and was for the benefit of the owning group's (Brush Type 4 Fund) members. On the day, with 47376 'Freightliner 1995' along for added Sulzer thrash, 47105 once again headed out on to a line it last traversed (except on test) nearly 10 years ago. It would be the first time the loco was to stop at Broadway - there is evidence that, as a Western Region loco, 47105 traversed the Honeybourne line regularly and passed through the site - since it was rebuilt. The following photos are again from Alex Raybould. 

Looking incredible in it's new coat of BR Blue with domino headcode 47105 powers out of Cheltenham and under Southam Road. 

Sister loco 47376 brings up the rear of the train as 47105 powers out of the 10mph section at Gotherington. 

47105 leads 47376 towards Didbrook.

Sadly, the day didn't end on a positive as 47105 was to fail with an electrical fault on the last run which saw it taken off at Toddington and shunted to the shed by DES. However, it is hoped that the fault can be traced and rectified quickly enough to allow the loco to take it's place on the loco roster for August. 

I got to see the finished article on Sunday when I was rostered on 37215 and it is hard not to be hugely impressed with the paint job done by Heritage Painting to compliment the through job done by the guys in the BT4F. An end result to be justly proud of!

Shiny! An absolutely stunning job. 

47105's TOPS panel and CF Depot allocation.

Sunday 18th saw our last 'Diesel Day' take place with 37215 as motive power. The loco had had a bit of an 'episode' earlier in the week and there was a little trepidation when I turned up on the morning to prep it for my biennial practical exam. Would it behave? Lockdown had really messed footplate competency - since passing out myself in 2019 I had only completed two post-passing Driver turns, and I am probably not alone in being a little 'rusty'! This only added to a very nervous feeling on arrival at Toddington. 

37215 rests outside the shed in the early morning sun on the 18th July. 

'Diesel Day 4' had been hastily arranged when the Government announced that Covid Lockdown would be extended for a further month and, sadly, there were already other events ongoing elsewhere in the UK, therefore, attendance wasn't as good as for our previous three 'Diesel Days' which were all sold out. That said, the new event was ideal for getting me re-certified and another Driver, Adrian, refreshed ready for his biennial in August. We would still get a pretty decent turnout from people out to enjoy the weather and the views....as well as the Type 3 up front! Little did myself, Tony (our Traction Inspector), Adrian or Simon (Secondman on the first trip) know just how hot the day would get and, by the end, we were all sunburnt, exhausted and ready for a cold beer! Luckily, I was staying at Toddington in one of our staff 'Pods' as I was rostered to drive the following day too - although, I was starting to think that I must have lost my marbles as the Monday was going to be even hotter!  

Monday started just like Sunday, except that I wasn't being assessed. We don't normally run services on a Monday but, with the Tuesday seeing services returning to normal, a shunt had to take place to get the two main coach rakes back into the correct formations. This meant, for 37215, shuttling the two rakes from Toddington down to Winchcombe where we were to assist Carriage and Wagon with the shunting of the coaches before taking the two full rakes back to Toddington - the last one via Broadway to run round. There was also a nice little surprise thrown in for good measure - courtesy of Ops Manager, and Guard for the day, Neil. 

It also gave a rare opportunity to capture, at work, a loco that doesn't get much in the way of mention in these pages - our Class 03, D2182. The shunter is owned by a gentlemen within the C & W Department and it is exclusively used to shunt C & W. With most activity taking place during the week, and usually on days where there is little to no traffic, it tends to get more exposure through our sister C & W Blog but it is part of the Diesel fleet. 

D2182 parked up at Winchcombe C & W in 2018.

By 0930 we were off shed and, boy, was it already hot. 24 degrees C according to the thermometer outside. Even with the windows and doors open on the loco, it was still damn hot! Sadly, my phone didn't survive and so all pictures are from Brian P (except one), who was my Secondman for the day. I take my hat off to him and to John H and the guys from C & W who did not stop all day in searing heat; coupling and uncoupling as well as undertaking plenty of walking with little to no shade. 

After the first run down to Winchcombe we were asked to shunt a couple of coaches into the P'Way sidings. 

Whilst we were sat in the P'Way sidings the Class 03, D2182, draws a further pair of coaches out of Winchcombe and across into the C & W sidings.  

After assisting with moving some of the stock around at Winchcombe, and interrupting the GWSR Board having an al-fresco meeting (sorry, again!), we travelled back to Toddington, light engine, before returning to Winchcombe with the 2nd Covid rake. After a bit more shunting and moving bits around, the D2182 positioned some wagons in P2. This was our little surprise - an impromptu run up to Broadway with two 'Dogfish' wagons, one 'Mermaid' wagon and a Lomac. This trip was reminiscent of the types of trip freight working that Class 37s - and, indeed both 37215 and D6948 - would have performed many times in their BR days in South Wales and the west. 

Taken by Toddington's Signaller, Saul Jones, the freight consist heads towards Toddington and it's eventual destination of Broadway, evoking memories of departmental trip freights of the 1980s. 9B01, perhaps? 

After running round at Broadway we were to shunt the wagons back into Siding 2. Whilst Brian takes the photo, Neil and I are discussing the next set of movements. 

There's something about the sunshine in the Cotswolds that just makes BR Blue look amazing! Our final arrival back at Winchcombe prior to returning to Toddington - with a run round at Broadway - with the final full rake ready for the 19th. 

Finally, after more shuffling of coaches at Winchcombe, it was back to Toddington with the 2nd reformed rake. As the Chocolate and Cream set was in P1 at Toddington, in order to be in the right place to get back on shed we had to make a second visit to Broadway so that we could run round. I don't think the Monday gang at Broadway quite expected an EE Type 3 to appear once, let alone twice during their working day!

Work also continued on D5343's body overhaul on Sunday with Simon, Alex, Tom and Harrison getting back on with it within the David Page Shed. There was also a small group continuing work on the Class 122 as well as evidence of continuing body work patch ups on the Class 117. It does look like the 117 has had a break out of some strange skin disease but the treatment will hopefully see the staving off of the corrosion for the time being. It isn't due back in service until October so there is plenty of time to get it prepped and looking back to its best. With the Bubble, the window backings on all the doors have been completed so now the team can look at making a start on the cabs - hopefully seeing it run under its own power for the first time in 8 years when the work is completed. Class 107 DMSL, Sc52029 has officially been put up for sale but it has not had any serious offers as of yet. 

Work is also continuing to progress with our Class 20's and, hopefully, we will see one, if not both, in service by the end of the year. D8137 is nearing being reunited with its bogies. The traction motors are being assessed to check whether a swap needs to be undertaken and, if so, is the donor fit for transplant? Steve, the owner of both Class 20s, has been busy taking the motors apart and cleaning/assessing them to see what his next move will be. 20228 is also still receiving work on its cab interiors with some of the panelling having been removed for cleaning and repainting. 

Class 37, D6948, is still waiting for its lift and so little work has been undertaken on this loco for some time. The owners are trying to source a set of listing brackets that will fit our jacks in the David Page shed. The set we normally borrow from our friends at the SRPS are currently in use at Bo'ness. The boiler coil has had a new section inserted and it has been successfully tested. Work is now ongoing to get it certified and then refitted to the boiler itself. 

So, with services losing their Covid restrictions from Tuesday 19th July, it means that the timetables are returning to normal. From the 19th through to the end of September we have diesel running every day, as well as two 'Gala'-style events. We will see the PURPLE  timetable (Diesel on the last round trip - 1510 off Broadway) dominate with the majority of Sundays seeing a PINK (one steam, one diesel - diesel starting 0945 from Cheltenham). The two 'Gala' type events are on the 30th July and the weekend of the 25th/26th September. The July 'SUMMER DIESEL DAY' will see our serviceable fleet used on a rotation throughout the day. 



The September event will have more of a Gala feel but will still be restricted to our home fleet. 

For current loco allocations, keep an eye on the GWSR website. At present for July we have (with usual caveats) - 

20 July (Pu) - Class 37, 37215
21 July (Pu) - Class 37, 37215
22 July (Pu) - Class 37, 37215
24 July (Pu) - Class 37, 37215
25 July (Pi) - Class 45, 45149
27 July (Pu) - Class 37, 37215
28 July (Pu) - Class 37, 37215
29 July (Pu) - Class 37, 37215
30 July (SE) - Class 24, 5081, Class 37, 37215, Class 45, 45149, Class 47, 47376
31 July (Pu) - Class 47, 47376
01 Aug (Pi) - Class 47, 47105
03 Aug (Pu) - Class 24, 5081

Finally, it is also a big celebration for the whole of the GWSR....it is the line's 40th Anniversary in 2021!! With restrictions removed planning has now become a reality on a number of events to help us celebrate. From Wednesday 20th July at the Tim Mitchell Building at Winchcombe there is a photographic journey showcasing the various departments of the railway, including the Diesel Department, right from those very early, halcyon days of the early 1980s right up to the present day. It's free entry so why not take a break at Winchcombe and have a nose? There will also be a Celebration Gala over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th October which will see both the steam and diesel fleets in full use - but this is still to be fully developed. 
Don't forget, you can also get more department news on our other social media pages. The Growler Group, Cotswold Diesel Railcar Group and Brush Type 4 Fund have Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as their websites. There is also a general GWSR Diesels Twitter site that sees updates every other day or so. Even DES has it's own Facebook page!

Growler Group - 



Brush Type 4 Fund


Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group

Cotswold Diesel Railcar Group



GWSR Diesels

DES - Yorkshire Engine Co 2760 Restoration Group





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