Caption Competition results
posted 28th July 2005

The results of the latest caption competition have now been published. A narrow victory for Chris Sparks - well done Chris, very topical. Matthew Darby nearly won his 3rd out of 4 competitions, but that wouldn’t have been fair!

A new competition is now running, and given the weather of the past week, the picture is quite appropriate.

Welcome return
posted 28th July 2005

When Hall class 4-6-0 no 4936 Kinlet Hall left the GWR after its two-month stay earlier this year, there were rumours that owner Peter Weaver might just bring the locomotive back after fulfilling two main-line runs in June and July. Well, the locomotive IS returning - and will be delivered to Toddington some time over the next few days.

Kinlet Hall, which is normally based at Brimingham Railway Museum at Tyseley, performed exceptionally well on the main line. Peter Weaver invited members of the GWR's locomotive department to join the train for Kinlet Hall's trip to York in July and they enjoyed some spectacular running with eruptions little short of volcanic from the locomotive's chimney.

This means that the GWR's operational fleet will now comprise four tender locomotives - including no. 7903, Foremarke Hall which is the later, modified version of the Hall class and was turned out of Swindon works 20 years after no. 4936. Also in working order are David Shepherd's 9F class 2-10-0 and Collett 0-6-0 no. 3205. Pannier tank no. 9642 is currently under repair.

Normal service has been resumed!
posted 26th July 2005

Over the period of the 23rd to the 26th of July, gwsr.com disappeared from the Internet. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused any of you (and sorry you didn’t get to hear about Black Prince returning to duty).

This was as a result of a technical error by our web hosting company, who I’ve now learned provide no support at weekends. We are now reviewing their performance closely!

Black Prince working this weekend!
posted 22nd July 2005

The Prince is back and will be breathing fire this weekend on the GWR. This huge 9F class locomotive, one of the last to be built for British Railways in 1959, has successfully been steamed and ran to Cheltenham Race Course and back on Wednesday evening. No. 92203 Black Prince will operate on both Saturday and Sunday, in the company of no. 7903 Foremarke Hall, which is just 10 years its junior. Both engines were built at Swindon.

Also on Saturday, the 16:30 return departure from Toddington, which is normally diesel-hauled, will be in the charge of 0-6-0 diesel-hydraulic D9539, for the very last time. This locomotive - which has been on the GWR since 1981 - has been sold by its owner and it will shortly be moving to the Ribble Valley Railway at Preston.

Click here for our locomotive roster and more information.

Spit and polish for Black Prince
posted 15th July 2005

'Black Prince' arrived back at Toddington and the locomotive department has immediately set about preparing it for traffic. The brand new tyres have collected a light patina of rust and here they are being buffed up ready for painting. Also, in the centre of the photograph you might just be able to see where one of the mudhole doors has been removed for inspection and washing out of the boiler.

This work is expected to be carried out over the coming weekend, the 16th and 17th of July, and providing all goes well the magnificent 9F - one of the last locomotives to be built for mainline use in the UK - will re -enter traffic the following weekend, the 23rd and 24th of July. Watch out for further announcements and keep an eye on the locomotive roster.

35006 Update
posted 15th July 2005

Click here to read the latest progress report on Bulleid Pacific no 35006, “Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co”, courtesy of John McMillan. These reports appear approximately quarterly (and are also published in our house magazine, The Cornishman).

Black Prince is back!
posted 8th July 2005, updated 12th July 2005

Black Prince, David Shepherd’s impressive 9F, is back at Toddington! Regulars will know that the 2-10-0 has been away having its tyres replaced.

The ever-intrepid Zol took this “paparazzi” photo from the public footpath outside the fence at Toddington yesterday, as 92203 was waiting to be unloaded.

Although after some additional work on the boiler the engine was successfully steam tested before returning to Gloucestershire, it now needs to undergo its annual boiler examination and after that, it is expected soon to be returned to traffic - and will thus make its first-ever run to Cheltenham Race Course. Its new tyres should last the locomotive for decades to come.

Black Prince will play a starring role in our September gala, on the 10th and 11th of September. Branded 'Return of the Prince', no 92203 will work passenger and demonstration goods trains during the weekend. Features will include an intensive service on both days, starting with our popular 09:15 departure running non-stop from Toddington to Cheltenham on both days - of course, hauled by Black Prince.

Click here to return to the News Archive.