Bridge on the skew – undergoing repair!
posted 22nd August

Drive along the B4632 between Toddington and Broadway and your journey might be interrupted by temporary traffic lights at the bridge crossing the trackbed of the GWR’s northern extension to Broadway.

This skew bridge is currently under extensive repair, including new platework on the steel spans which have in places, suffered considerable corrosion. The bridge had been weakened to such an extent that it has latterly been supported by a propping tower beneath the span but this is expected to be removed by the end of August. The bridge will be finished in the chocolate colour scheme that has been applied to other bridges so far refurbished.

This is perhaps not before time – because the sleeper line has reached the bridge and the railhead is not far behind.  Work on the extension will continue its inexorable passage north once the span is clear of obstruction.

Bridge ahoy! The sleepers approach the B4632 skew bridge which crosses the formation between Toddington and Laverton. The propping tower supporting the bridge stands in the way but the route was expected to be clear by the end of August.  Photo: Ian Crowder

This is the latest bridge to receive attention in a long-term refurbishment programme. Bridges so far treated include the rail-over skew bridges at Gotherington and Gretton; Stanton road bridge and the aqueduct near Stanton.

Did you know that the GWR owns no less than 88 structures that either cross or are crossed by the railway, between Cheltenham and Broadway?  You can discover more about the refurbishment works and what comprises those 88 bridges here.

Green Arrow – last chance to enjoy an extraordinary engine
City of Truro and Green Arrow working together – for the last time ever?
posted 21st August

The coming Bank Holiday weekend (25th – 27th August) will be your last chance to see the National Railway Museum’s magnificent V2 class 2-6-2 Green Arrow working, before it departs to visit other railways before retiring.

Not only that, it will be the last chance – possibly ever to see both Green Arrow and the other National Railway Museum icon on the GWR, City of Truro, in steam together.

That’s because after Green Arrow completes its tour of visits to heritage railways in November, its boiler certificate expires and the engine’s fire will be allowed to cool for the last time. Green Arrow will be retired to the museum as a wonderful, but silent, static exhibit. It needs an extensive overhaul to restore it to active duty once again and it is unlikely that the NRM will be able to find the expected six-figure investment required in the foreseeable future. The museum is currently concentrating on the overhaul of another Gresley-designed locomotive, Flying Scotsman.

City of Truro recently returned to the GWR from the East Lancashire Railway, making this unique pairing possible. You can read our press release here.  You can also read more about the unique Gresley V2 class, of which Green Arrow is the pioneer, here.

City of Truro and Green Arrow photo call

For a final chance of photographing these two iconic locomotives side by side, get to Toddington station before 10.00 on Saturday, Sunday or Monday. The two will be posed for photographers at Toddington station before they take their respective trains for the day’s services to and from Cheltenham. To see which locomotives are hauling which trains, check our locomotive roster here.

Normal fares apply for this special Bank Holiday weekend – and what’s more, a round trip ticket entitles the holder to travel as often as he or she likes on the day of issue – so there will be plenty of opportunity to ride behind both engines during the day.

If you wish to photograph the locomotives along the lineside, you are welcome to do so provided you hold a lineside pass which is obtainable from Toddington station booking office. For details click here and you can download an application form here. For a guide to the best places to photograph trains, click here.

This is a really special weekend for the GWR. Don’t regret missing it!

Wildlife & Steam On Tour – new date!
posted 21st August

We’re sorry that we had to disappoint so many people when flooding led to disruption of services and postponement of the weekend exhibition of David Shepherd’s acclaimed wildlife and steam paintings, in aid of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.

This event now takes place over the weekend of 6th and 7th October, while on Saturday evening, 6th October, An Evening with David Shepherd will take place. This event is limited to 150 people only.  Those who have purchased tickets, but not claimed a refund, can use the tickets they already have for 6th October and we are letting ticket holders know of these arrangements.

A limited number of tickets are again available, price just £15.00 each. The ticket price offers fantastic value and it includes:

• An entertaining talk by David Shepherd at the Flag & Whistle, Toddington, starting 6.30pm for 7.00pm
• A trip behind David Shepherd’s pride and joy, locomotive no. 92203 Black Prince, to Winchcombe for a ‘private view’ with David Shepherd of his life’s work, with a number of original wildlife and paintings on view.
• The show includes oil sketches that enigmatically capture the last days of steam, 40 years ago. This is only the third time the collection has been on public display.
• Light refreshments at Winchcombe are included
• Additional refreshments available in the bar and buffet on the train
• Return to Toddington via Cheltenham, again the train is hauled by David Shepherd’s locomotive Black Prince

Over the whole weekend the gallery will be open at Winchcombe station and there’s an opportunity to find out more about the work of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. Prints, cards and limited edition prints of some paintings will be on sale. Entry to the gallery at Winchcombe station is free.

For a sneak preview of some of David’s paintings, click here.  You can also read a press release issued in July and an article about David Shepherd’s work with the Foundation.  You can find out more by clicking here and you can download an application form for tickets here.  You can buy tickets by personal application to Toddington Station and also by telephone, 01242 621 405.

NRM double this weekend!
posted 17th August

This weekend the GWR is proud to play host to two of the most prized members of the national collection. Both Green Arrow and City of Truro are rostered to operate all trains this weekend. This is your penultimate chance to see Green Arrow in action before she departs the GWR at the end of the month. With Green Arrow unlikely to ever steam again when her boiler certificate expires this really could be a once in a lifetime chance to see her running.

Full details of which trains each locomotive is working can be found here.

37219 final runs
posted 17th August

After posting a number of successful runs early in the year and a very popular photo charter, visiting Class 37 37219 is soon to leave the GWR. The final weekend of running is scheduled to be the weekend of 6th and 7th October. These will be green timetables and the class 37 will be operating alongside a steam locomotive.

Full details can be found in this press release.

Black Prince on holiday
posted 17th August

David Shepherd's 9F class locomotive Black Prince is now safely in Norfolk, on the North Norfolk Railway which runs between Sheringham and Holt. The locomotive will be working normal services, participating in the railways major gala from 31 August to 2 September.  David Shepherd will be in attendance at the railway's 'Steam and Wildlife On Tour' show, the same event that had to be cancelled at the GWR in July because of flooding. The GWR's event has been re-scheduled for 5th and 6th October.

Thomas and Santa on the GWR
posted 6th August

The GWR is pleased to announce details of the next Thomas weekend (29th and 30th September ) and also details of the always popular Santa Specials. A timetable will be added to the Thomas pages when it has been finalised.

City of Truro back
posted 2nd August

Another National Railway Museum locomotive, the centenarian record-breaker, Great Western Railway 4-4-0 City of Truro, returned to the GWR on Thursday, 2nd August.  It has spent the past few weeks at the East Lancashire Railway, where it participated in that line’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

This brings the prospect for two weekends only of seeing two of Britain’s most iconic and treasured steam locomotives operating on the same day. Both City of Truro and Green Arrow will be in service* on August 18th and 19th and over the August Bank Holiday weekend, 25th to 27th August. These wonderful locomotives belong to the national collection and are managed by the National Railway Museum. Therefore, every UK taxpayer ‘owns’ just a little bit of each engine.  So don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy seeing ‘your’ locomotives at work on your favourite railway, the GWR!

*as always, subject to availability! Bank Holiday weekend to be confirmed.

Green Arrow in service this weekend
posted 2nd August

The National Railway Museum’s famous London & North Eastern Railway ‘V2’ class locomotive, Green Arrow, is in service this weekend. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a ride behind this unique and spectacular locomotive, which remains on the GWR only until 28th August.  To find out which trains the engine is hauling, visit our locomotive roster by clicking here.

Not entirely a washout
posted 2nd August

As expected, the generally wet July, culminating in the extreme downpour towards the end of the month washed a hole in ticket sales for the month. Six days’ of operation was lost – three week days, two Saturdays and one Sunday resulting in our one of our poorest Julys of recent years. The extreme conditions led to cancellation of the David Shepherd Wildlife & Steam On Tour exhibition, as well as a private charter and several coach visits with the consequent loss of revenue that this implies. In all, 4,277 tickets were sold over the month, compared with 6,511 last year.

Cumulative ticket sales to the end of July were 31,976 compared with 34,253 in 2006.

Comments Colin Dymock, head stationmaster: “Considering the floods cost us so many operating days, losing several coach parties and the potentially high profile visit of David Shepherd, this seems to be a fairly good result.”

Almost a quarter (24%) of tickets were sold at Cheltenham.

The railway resumed services on Tuesday 31st July with a ‘children travel free’ offer up to and including this Saturday, 4th August. On Saturday, each child aged between 5 and 15 can travel free (saving £6.00) if accompanied by an adult paying the standard fare. You can find out more by clicking here.

July PW update
posted 1st August

Paul Fuller has provided the latest permanent way department report. This month’s includes details of the work carried out following the recent flooding.

What the weather man says – it’ll be sunny!
posted 1st August

Aficionados of BBC TV’s Midlands Today weather forecast will have learned on Tuesday that the GWR is up and running once again following the rains that caused widespread damage to homes and businesses in Gloucestershire – and led to deep depression at the GWR as the water supply was cut off for 10 days, leading to suspension of services.  But the outlook was positively sunny as presenter Simon Keeling presented the weather forecast live from Toddington station with the aid of a satellite-dish equipped outside broadcast van, locomotive 7903 Foremarke Hall and volunteers who stayed on to make the broadcast possible.

Simon Keeling interviewed station master Malcolm Ranieri who explained that trains were running again and that until Saturday, children up to the age of 15 travel free if accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Then Simon was seen aboard the footplate of Foremarke Hall as he explained the sunny outlook live to camera before the locomotive departed out of shot with a whistle. It was great TV – especially as it was live – and remembering that the weather forecast is the last regular unscripted programme on the network!

Foremarke Hall is running normal services on Wednesday and Thursday while two 2-6-2s: 5542 and the National Railway Museum’s Green Arrow, share services over the weekend. For more details visit the loco roster.

The pictures show Simon Keeling on camera – images sent via satellite van to the BBC’s Birmingham studio for live transmission.