The dust is settling on another Diesel Gala event and things now return to normal timetabled services once again. This years' event was billed as being a little more low key than last year, however, things don't always pan out that way, and the initial numbers look incredibly promising. Certainly, a lot better than was anticipated prior to the event, despite the weather on the Saturday and Sunday doing its best to 'rain on the parade'.... literally!! We await the full numbers from the railway's board to see how things panned out.
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| The 2023 Loco Lineup....complete with pole, again! And, yard lamp! L - R: 47376, 37215, 47105, 20137, D7659, D6948 and 5081. |
Our guest loco, Class 25, D7659 had arrived on the 30th June from its stop on the West Somerset Railway for their Gala. The loco belongs to GWSR President, Peter Waterman, and is part of his Waterman Railway Heritage Trust fleet.
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| Prepping D7659 for touchdown at Toddington on 30 June 2023. (Courtesy of Alex Raybould) |
With preliminary cleaning of the shed completed during that week as well (see the last blog), the days leading up to the Gala saw final preparations completed. This included last minute repairs, cleaning and then the monster shunt to get everything in the right place. So, to Wednesday 5 July and myself and Alex R had the responsibility for the first part of the shunt. With the yard still in use for maintenance and with timetabled services still running, time was of the essence and a bit of prior planning had to be used so as not to block things up.
First up, fire up an '04'. D2280 was picked as it was closer!
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| Our guest gets used to its new surroundings whilst D2280 gets up to pressure. |
With 'Shunty' up to pressure, it was across the yard to start moving some of the locos around. As one of the organising team Alex had a plan all set out so, from my point of view, it was just following his instructions. However, when shunting, you still have to work together to get it done safely so there was also a healthy dose of discussion if things didn't quite work out.
37215 was the first to be moved as it was in the way of its sister, D6948, which was the rostered loco for the day.
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| Class 37, 37215, sits on Road 11 after being moved out of the shed. |
37215 had returned to service the week before having been out of traffic for a short period while some minor repairs were seen to. During the Gala, the loco was to run with oval buffers at no.1 end and it's refurbished round buffers at no.2 end. This was purely down to only having had three buffers returned from the company undertaking the work!
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| The 'Green Machine' was next so that the rostered crew could prep it ready for the afternoon run. |
D6948 was next to be moved so that the crew for the afternoon could prep it ready for service, although the first order of business was to give it a wash and brush up. Harry had brought all his truck washing brushes (his day job is an LGV Driver) and so he was charged with giving '248' and '215' a scrub. Phil B also joined in to lend a hand.
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| All gleaming and ready for action. D6948 waits for the call to action. Luckily, the clouds continued to drift harmlessly by overhead, although it did make for very muggy conditions. |
Class 20, 20228 had been moved onto the back of Road 10 over the previous weekend ready for display along with Class 26, D5343. Having locos on display is always a plus particularly as it allows those who might only have a passing interest, or younger enthusiasts, to get up close and personal to the loco and see what makes them work. Cab visits would also be available, although this had still to be sorted.
After doing some shuffling of steam locos, D5343 was extricated from the David Page Shed. With the welding completed for the time being, the 'McRat' found itself back in the DP Shed whilst more of the body work and internal tasks have been completed.
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| D5343 is hauled out into the daylight ready to be positioned on Road 10. Being able to show locos going through the process of restoration and overhaul is a huge plus at Gala time. |
As you can see from the picture above, the B Bank side of D5343 has had some attention now that the A Bank side is well advanced. You can also see that the driver's side door has been taken back to its base ready for repainting, and the markings on the front of the loco that highlights just how much cutting and welding is still required before the loco is back in service.
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| From the other end you can see the work that has been completed to get the metal work in place and secured. The lamp brackets are back on and the holes have been cut for the spot lights at the bottom. Not long before the metal work at this end is completed. |
At this point, due to the humidity, Alex and I decided it was lunch time and retired to the mess room for a well needed break. But, it didn't seem long before we were back at it and D5343 was edged back into the shed.
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| D5343 placed into the shed alongside Class 24, 5081. |
With the Class 26 placed in the appropriate spot it was time to look at how things could be arranged around both 20228 and D5343 as part of the exhibition. By this point D6948 was due back from Broadway and the 'kettle' from Train 2 due back for disposal so shunting was put on hold for the day and the more 'administrative' tasks could be undertaken.
It was then clean up and off to the pub for tea and medals!
The following day dawned warmer and brighter still - just perfect for moving all the locos around so that we could have the 'traditional' line-up photo and, more importantly, get the locos fueled up. Numbers in attendance was up again on Wednesday as the final touches were put to the cleaning and prep of the shed. This included, once the locos were out, marking out where all the stands would go.
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| Who left all the wardrobe doors open? 20228 sits in the shed with its body side doors open so that the public can take a look at what lies behind. |
After a coffee and a quick conflab over the plans for the day, I went down into the yard to get D2280 prepped again ready for a full days shunt. On getting down into the yard I found that I had been beaten to it and Mark Y was busy shunting around one of the steam engines. As luck would have it he had just finished so I purloined the shunter ready to do our bidding. With DES still MIA, all the shunting at Toddington has fallen at the feet of our two Class 04s and, although capable shunting locos, their 204hp engines and low weight means that they are not particularly suited to moving multiple 100 tonne locomotives at the same time and require a bit of a soft touch to get them moving without spinning the wheels - especially when moving both Class 37s or both Class 47s together.
Once Alex R was ready it was time to undertake our shunting challenge. First order of business was to get the locos fueled. Class 45, 45149 and Class 20, 20137 were already at the bottom of the yard so they were nudged in to position first, closely followed by 37215 and then 5081. Our Class 122, W55003, was also moved from Siding 2 and placed in the Car Park for people to view.
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| Class 122 'Bubble Car', W55003 sits in the Car Park as one of our static exhibits. It would garner a lot of attention over the weekend. A classic car club were even doing some photos with it as Alex and I left for Winchcombe. |
After moving the Bubble Car into the Car Park, Alex and I had to make a quick dash to Winchcombe to visit Churchward House, the GWSR's office base, and pick up a couple of bits that needed placing on the platform at Winchcombe, but also to check on the model railway being set up in the Tim Mitchell building. I neglected to get any pics so I am using the one from the GWSR's website.
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If interested, you can keep up with its progress on RM Web here ==> https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/127037-abbotswood-and-norton-junctions-layout-build/
There is also a You Tube video of the layout running during the Gala, posted courtesy of 'Trainline5000' ===> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWsoG7KAXdc
After checking on the layout, placing a sandwich board on the platform and, an impromptu lunch at the cafe, it was back to Toddington and the shunting. In our absence, the Steam Department had completed a move that they had wanted to do over lunch however not before our shunting loco was changed from D2280 to 11230 as the former had started to lose oil pressure due to the heat. To be fair, it had earned the rest!
To empty Road 11, 47105 and 47376 'Freightliner 1995' were both moved to the fueling point and given a drink.
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| 47376 and 47105 get a drink of diesel ready for the Gala weekend. Jon C does the honours with the fuel hose on '376'. |
Whilst fueling we had a visit from a number of 'interested' insects! The sweet smell of the diesel was seemingly confusing the local bees as to the availability of something nice.....
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| Poor, confused bee!! |
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| D7659 undergoes its Fitness to Run exam with Steve M (knelt down by the bogie) and Martyn Adshead of the the WRHT (on all fours behind Steve M). |
With all the locos fueled and ready to go, it was time to shunt them into position for the 'line-up'. Road 9 was the last to fill as the 'kettle' from the days' services still had to be disposed of. Most locos had been placed as we had gone along, but, by 1930, everything was in place. Sadly, we couldn't fit in 45149 or 20137.
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| B****y shed furniture! Gets in the way of all the yard photos! |
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| Perhaps the two most effective and endearing Classes of the later BR Modernisation plan - the Class 47 and Class 37. Testament to their design is that, 60+ years on, both classes are still used extensively on the mainline. |
With the light fading and the hunger pangs growing, it was round to the pub again for tea and medals and for a mull over the coming 3-days of Gala.
Gala Day 1
After indulging in a hearty breakfast at the hotel, it was off to Toddington to meet with Martyn A and Alex R along with D7659. Alex and I had been rostered on the visitor (Alex as Secondman and myself as Conductor Driver). Martyn had already got the loco started and prepped while the first locos off shed were making their ways to respective starting points. 47376 had been placed on the apron of Road 11 to allow for cab visits - the Class 47s would swap mid-day to give them both track time. The temperature was already steadily climbing and hinting at a hot, sweaty day on the footplate. The buzz was that this would, in turn, lead to good attendance - especially as we had heard that advance ticket sales were way above what last year and 2019 had been!
Most trains were top and tail to Broadway in order to maximise the timetable space and we started on the back of the second 'up' train.
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| Safely attached to the back and conducting the brake test. |
It was a pleasure to start on the 'Rat' and you could quickly appreciate the time and effort that Martyn and his colleagues had put into its overhaul and getting the loco back into traffic. It was also interesting to speak with Martyn more (not just in the pub) about how WRHT operates, how it fits in at Peak Rail and how he has enjoyed visiting all the other railways.
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| And, at Cheltenham after running round and getting ready to head back to Broadway. |
At Winchcombe, we crossed with 37215 which was heading back to Cheltenham. As expected, despite the heavy loading on our service, the coaches behind '215' were all full. And, so it continued. On arriving at Toddington, a chat with the Station Master confirmed that they had been flat out with ticket sales since opening. By the end of the day over £3000 was taken at Toddington, alone.
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| 37215 eases its 'down' train into Winchcombe platform 1. |
After heading back up to Broadway it was back to Toddington and our first break. It was timetabled that we would then slot on the back of an 'Up train' again before a final round trip. Martyn would give me the opportunity to drive the 'Rat' back up from CRC to Broadway and, I must say it was a cracking loco to drive.
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| After getting back, 47105 was getting ready to depart with the next Broadway-bound service. |
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| 'Peak' 45149 brings up the rear. |
The weather was sweltering which made crewing a bit attritional, but on the plus side, it did bring out a lot of people to visit with most trains being at least 3/4 full throughout the day. Add to this sales of refreshments and souvenirs, and all indications were that the result would be very good.
To say I was shattered when I made it back to my hotel after the obligatory 'social' is a huge understatement and, after a much needed shower, I can't even remember switching the light off!
Gala Day 2
The 8th dawned bright again but the weather forecast did not look good for after lunch with heavy rain showers and thunderstorms forecast. Great!
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| The shed looks forward to more punters on Day 2. |
I was rostered on D6948 for the day with Mark W, one of the owners of the green Class 37 as well as a fellow Growler Group Committee member. Mark messaged me to inform me that the previous days' crew had mentioned that there were a few leaks on the loco and that we might need to top up the fluids. On arriving at Toddington, Mark was already in the engine room having a look. Most of the leaks are things that have been logged but, there were a couple of others that were 'new'. Not much could be done then, but they were not show stoppers so were logged again ready for after the Gala when the 'Wednesday Gang' could take a look and effect any repairs.
After doing the service prep, Mark and I relayed oil back and forward to the loco so that all the fluid levels were at maximum for the day. Sadly, the showers hit as we were half way through but, although heavy, they blew through quite quickly. By the time we got to Broadway on our first trip the concrete was almost bone dry.
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| You'd be hard pushed to know it had been raining! D6948 at Broadway. |
The weather would continue in the vein of blistering periods of sunshine with occasional bouts of intense rain and thunder/lightning. However, we just about missed them until we finished up at the end of the day.
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| A perfect opportunity. 37215 and D6948 await the 'RA' on their respective services - '215' on the back to Broadway and '248' to Cheltenham. |
After getting to Cheltenham and running round, we ran ECS to Winchcombe, all the while with an ominous black thundercloud behind us. As we got to Far Stanley we could now see it on our left and, as it moved, the area beneath it was completely obscured by rain.
As we left Winchcombe, after dropping off rake 3, a few spots of rain hit the windscreen and, as we arrived in the yard at Toddington the heavens opened - absolutely soaking one of our P'Way team who was down in the yard hoping to get a photo of the Beerex as it left! After disposing of the loco, I decided not to leg it across the yard in the vain hope of getting on the train and getting absolutely soaked in the process. So, in a torrent of rain and lightning/thunder, Class 24, 5081 and Class 25, D7659 departed for Cheltenham.
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| The two 'Rats' return to Toddington just as the rain stops. |
Or, if you want it looking a bit more like the 'Cambrian Coast Express' with BR Blue and Grey liveried coaches, rather than chocolate and cream.....
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| Mmmmmm, not quite! |
I jumped onboard for the trip up to Broadway and back before making my way down the M5 and home. I wasn't able to get the day off from work on the Sunday so had to head home....but, I think I deserved one beer before heading off!
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| The GWSR's very own 'Rail Ale'. |
As well as the mainline locos being in use, on the Saturday and Sunday, for the first time in a while, the DMU was used on a shuttle service between Toddington and Broadway. Utilised as a 2-car set instead of the usual 3-car due to the engines on DMS W51405 being out of use. But, for it's intended purpose over the Gala, this seemed sufficient.
From reports, Day 3 followed on from where Day 2 ended and the turnout was still very good. Sunday's are the usual quiet day for the Gala (some heritage lines are now running Galas Thursday to Saturday because of this!) but chatting with Alex R, it does seem as though numbers were consistent.
We were blessed that no locos suffered any issues outside of general maintenance and everything ran to time. No signal box issues, no service delays, unexpected events....we certainly had the rub of the green!
We were also blessed to have the GWSR President in attendance on the Saturday to partake in 'his' machine on the line. He was also around to undertake some media for the railway relating to the new shop at Broadway and our Stanway Viaduct appeal.
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| Owner and his machine! GWSR President, Pete Waterman OBE gets ready for a trip over the line behind his own Class 25, D7659. (Courtesy of Ian Crowder/GWSR Website) |
He wasn't the only famous face on the railway on the Saturday. We also had a visit from our royal patron, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence (husband of Princess Anne, of course) but also, love him or loathe him, Francis Bourgeois of Tik Tok fame. He turned up with a huge number of his friends for his birthday!
Hopefully we will have the final numbers to share with you in the immediacy.
Now, it is back to the bread and butter work and the ongoing maintenance and rostered work continues. I previously mentioned the current issue with the Class 117 set; DMS W51405 has no working engines. The DMU Group have not stood still and have started work on the 'spare' DMSL W51360 to get this back in traffic to allow the removal of W51405 for repairs to be affected. This has included a full, if hurried, repaint into BR unlined green livery to match the rest of the set. Apparently, this is the first time it has worn BR Green since the 1960s!
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| W51360's rapid transformation is in the final stages. For a hurried job, you will agree that it is looking the part! (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group Facebook) |
The whiskers and numbering has been done by the talented Alex Caulfield from C&W.
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| W51360 - still with some elements of it's former BR Blue livery on show in places. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group Facebook) |
The internal woodwork has also been receiving some much needed TLC after its storage in the yard.
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| Due to its time in storage outside, some of the internal woodwork has needed replacing. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group Facebook) |
It is hoped to swap W51360 and W51405 in the next few weeks once work and an air pressure test is completed. Once this is all done, the Class 117 can return to its normal 3-car state with the re-insertion of centre car DTS W59510.
Elsewhere, D6948 has had some of the issues flagged up at the Gala looked at and rectified in the couple of weeks since. One of the more pressing issues was with the charge ammeter which sits on the bulkhead behind the secondman's seat at no.2 end. This shows you the voltage being used by. or charged into, the battery cells. It was noticed on the Friday of the Gala that this was not reading correctly so needed replacement.
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| The new charge ammeter for fitting to D6948. (Courtesy of Kev Jarvis) |
There was also a small water leak at the radiator end of the engine that was identified and needed repair.
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| While GG Tech Officer Paul Good checks through the manual, Andy T and John G sort through the spare bits of hose and pipe from the container looking for the right bit. (Courtesy of Kev Jarvis) |
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| Keith R and Paul C get caught in the act messing around with gaskets! (Courtesy of Kev Jarvis) |
We also had a mid year ballast drop near Broadway on Monday 10 July with 5081 doing the honours. It was also tasked with taking some wagons to Winchcombe from Toddington.
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| 5081 sits at Stanway whilst the two ballast wagons are loaded on 10 July 2023. (Courtesy of Paul Fuller) |
The remainder of July sees the following roster. Usual caveats apply.
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22nd |
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Class 20, 20137 |
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23rd |
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Class 20, 20137 |
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24th |
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Class 24, 5081 |
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25th |
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Class 24, 5081 |
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26th |
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Class 45, 45149 and Class 117, L425 |
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27th |
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Class 117, L425 |
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29th |
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Class 47, 47105 or 47376 (TBC) |
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30th |
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Class 47, 47105 or 47376 (TBC) |
