David Shepherd event postponed again
posted 24th September

It is with regret that the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway today (Monday) learned that David Shepherd has unexpectedly been taken ill and, on doctors' advice, he is unable to guarantee that he will be sufficiently recovered to fulfil his 'Wildlife and Steam On Tour' engagement over the weekend of 6th and 7th October.

The railway has therefore taken the difficult decision to again postpone this event (it was postponed in July because of flooding).

Says Ian Crowder, commercial director of the all-volunteer railway: "Everyone at the GWR is very concerned to learn of David's illness and we wish him a speedy return to health. David has expressed his disappointment that he has been advised to postpone the event again - but, of course, his health comes first.

"David and the GWR hope to re-schedule (for the third time!) the event in the Spring of 2008.  Meanwhile, all those who have bought tickets for 'An Evening with David Shepherd' on Saturday 6th October will have their money refunded.  We will contact everyone again in due course to let them know of the revised date."

Signals at Gotherington
posted 20th September

For the last year or so much of S and T's activities have been focussed on completion of the signalling at the Gotherigton passing loop.

This week a milestone was reached as the last 2 new signal posts were erected.

One is a replica of an old GWR wooden signal which will be located at the Cheltenham end of Gotherington Halt

The other is a bracket signal controlling the route trains from Cheltenham will take at Gotherington. At busy times they will be routed into the passing loop so that other trains can proceed to Cheltenham. In quieter periods they will continue through on the main line as now. This choice of routes is controlled by a bracket signal supporting 2 separate signals on the same post.

The large post was erected today (18th September), over the next few weeks and months the rest of the structure will be erected and tested

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8.

9. 10.

1 - Shows the bracket signal post being fitted with its concrete anchor blocks.
2 - Shows the wooden post. The volunteer by the signal doing some painting is Peter Bledgett who lives in Hawaii and must be the GWSR's most remore supporter. He is married to an English girl and they visit the UK every summer to "get away from the heat", message theres somewhere!!
3 - Tea break at the bracket signal site
4 - Ready to lift
5 - Halfway up
6 - Nearly there
7 - Hi tech shovelling
8 - M.Walker checking the alignment
9 - Ready for more concrete
10 - Finished

Thanks to John Nichols for the the words and pictures.

2008 diesel running dates announced
posted 8th September, PDF file updated 20th September

The GWR’s diesel department are pleased to announce the 2008 running dates for the fleet. Details can be found in this PDF file.

Permanent way update
posted 8th September

Read Paul Fuller’s latest PWay update here.

Carriage and wagon update
posted 8th September

Richard Johnson’s latest update from the carriage and wagon department is now up on the site and available to view here.

Churchward 150 takes shape
posted 6th September

There's more information on the website about the Churchward 150 celebrations which take place over the weekend of 15th and 16th September. A feature about Churchward 2-8-0 no. 2807, being restored at Toddington, has been added; a review of a remarkable DVD tracking the myths and realities of City of Truro and some wonderful photographs of Churchward locomotives kindly provided by the STEAM picture library at Swindon.  You can visit this library online by clicking here.  You'll find thousands of photographs relating to the Great Western Railway, and it's possible to purchase prints.

So what's the event about? Well, it marks the 150th anniversary of George Jackson Churchward, pictured right. His genius laid the foundations for thousands of Great Western locomotives as well as inspiring Stanier on the LMS and Riddles with his standard designs for British Railways.

Leaves on the line
posted 6th September

The London Underground might have descended into chaos because of industrial action and now our website has been down on-and-off during the evening of 5th September.  We don’t think it is militancy on the part of the technicians because they haven’t demanded improved pay and conditions; rather it seems to be the cyberspace equivalent of leaves on the line. The driving wheels were slipping and eventually the whole lot came to a halt so we apologise for random announcements to passengers such as ‘Account suspended’ or ‘Forbidden 403 Error’.  Hopefully the motive power is back in full working order with a full head of steam once again. Thanks to those who found the site had gone down and quickly let us know, so we could do something about it – and once again, sorry you were denied you your favourite read for the evening.

Awesome August
posted 6th September

In terms of ticket sales, August has been a bonanza, helped by the attraction of both Green Arrow and City of Truro in steam together, probably for the last time, over the Bank Holiday weekend.  That weekend alone attracted 2,435 ticket sales, compared with 1,822 over the same weekend last year.

Over the month, 10,937 tickets were sold, compared with 10,598 over the same month last year (up 4 per cent). This helped to recoup some of the revenue lost over six days to the aftermath of the July floods. Not unexpectedly, those lost days have resulted in year-to-date ticket sales lagging behind the same position last year.

Year to end August total was 42,913, compared with 44,851 to the same time in 2006.  This shows how important August is to the railway: the month accounts for a quarter of all tickets sold to date.  So far this year, 23 per cent of tickets have been sold at Cheltenham

“With events coming up such as the Churchward 150 gala in September; the postponed David Shepherd Wildlife & Steam On Tour weekend on 6th and 7th October and the following weekend’s revived Steam and Vintage rally at Toddington, we stand a good chance of recovering our postion by the end of the year,” says Colin Dymock, head stationmaster.

NRM feast
posted 6th September

As mentioned above, the August bank holiday proved to be one of the rare opportunities to turn out two of the National Railway Museum’s flagship locomotives together.  The hundreds who turned up at the GWR were not disappointed, either – not only was the weather perfect but the two locomotives behaved impeccably on all three days.

The start of each day was marked by posing the two locomotives isde by side at Toddington, allowing a rare opportunity to photograph the two engines in the same shot.  But the icing on the cake was double-heading the final train of the weekend* – and the fading light as the clouds gathered did nothing to spoil the experience.  Perhaps that was a fitting end to Green Arrow’s tenure on the GWR and that final curtain-call marked the last time that the two engines could be seen in steam together – possibly for ever.  That’s because Green Arrow then left Toddington for its final heritage railway visits before returning to York Railway Museum when its boiler certificate expires in November. It is expected that the locomotive will take its place in the Museum as a static exhibit, possibly never to steam again.

“We’re immensely grateful to the National Railway Museum for the opportunity to host Green Arrow on our line,” comments Ian Crowder, commercial director. “The engine has drawn many people to the line to enjoy the distinctive, spine-tingling three-cylinder Gresley beat echoing off the Cotswolds. That’s sound is one that many people – myself included – will remember for a very long time.”

*We think this might be the first and last occasion that Green Arrow and City of Truro have double-headed a train although there have been occasions when both have been in steam together at the same place.  If you know differently then tell us by dropping an email to webmaster@gwsr.com

Here’s a gallery of pictures taken over the bank holiday weekend.

Togetherness before a fond farewell: Green Arrow and City of Truro repose at Toddington on 25th August. (Andrew Bell)

Green Arrow accelerates from Winchcombe, photographed from above the north entrance of Greet tunnel. (Andrew Bell)

Green Arrow slows for Gotherington Halt on 25th August, during its final weekend of operation on the GWR (Andrew Bell)

The final historic trip of Green Arrow and City of Truro. (Darin Fryatt)

Maybe not the double-header people were looking forward to! Two of the GWR’s diesel shunters move the stock to allow City of Truro to couple onto Green Arrow. (Darin Fryatt)

Locomotive news
posted 6th September

4160 returns
Those who have scanned the Churchward 150 pages will have noticed that a visiting locomotive is with us: large Prairie* no. 4160, on loan from the West Somerset Railway. The locomotive arrived on Thursday 6th September and was to have been pressed straight into service.  On Sunday 8th there was expected to be a very Churchwardian feel to the GWR with small sister Prairie no. 5542 and City class 4-4-0 City of Truro sharing duties. All three are Churchward-designed locomotives.
* click here for an explanation of ‘Prairie’: look for Wheel Arrangement in our Jargon Buster.

7903
Meanwhile, 7903 Foremarke Hall is expected to be back in traffic in time for Churchward 150, following further attention to its connecting and coupling rod bearings.

92203
David Shepherd’s 9F class 2-10-0 Black Prince is due back to the GWR in time for Churchward 150. The engine has been wowing the crowds on the North Norfolk Railway (the Poppy Line): it is believed to be the first time a 9F has been to that part of the world.

While there, the locomotive took part in a David Shepherd Wildlife & Steam event which raised some £10,000 for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.  This event takes place on the GWR over the weekend of 6th and 7th October – having been postponed from July as a result of widespread flooding in the area. As a ‘thank you’ the North Norfolk Railway is releasing its delightful J15 0-6-0 no. 65462 to the GWR in October, the engine remaining on the line until January. No. 65462 is owned by the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway society which is based on the Poppy Line.

Here is a gallery of photographs of Black Prince enjoying her time at the seaside:

Two former Somerset & Dorset favourites. Ivo Peters Bentley and 92203 are reunited for the first time in 45 years at Weybourne (in North Norfolk!). (24/08/07)

An impromptu ladies day on Black Prince - Heidi Mowforth (Driver; top), Cathy Paterson (Firewomen; left), and Amanda Reeve (Cleaner; right), Weybourne. (25/08/07)

92203 comes off shed at Weybourne. (25/08/07)

Black Prince heads past Sheringham Golf Course with the 10.30 from Sheringham. (25/08/07)

The same train is seen approaching Holt, and passes Bridge Road Carriage Shed in the foreground. (25/08/07)

'Got the the road'. After a short stop, the 9F makes a sure footed getaway on the 1 in 80 incline. (25/08/07)

With the hard work nearly over, Black Prince nears the summit of Kelling Heath. (25/08/07)

Proudly displaying 'The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation' headboard, 92203 is seen at Avery Curve with the 15.00 service from Sheringham. (25/08/07)

Our thanks to Ben Boggis (www.32g.co.uk) for the photos.

Churchward 150 – the GWR’s September Steam Spectacular
posted 4th September

15th and 16th September are fast approaching and the GWR is putting on its usual spectacular steam event. This time, we’re commemorating the live and work of George Jackson Churchward (1857-1933), who was born 150 years ago this year. Churchward’s influence as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway between 1902 to 1922 was enormous – his basic designs and concepts being perpetuated by his successors, Collett and Hawksworth.  His concepts were to be found elsewhere in the UK, too: notably on the LMS and even in the BR Standard designs.

So this is indeed a special event. We have an impressive line-up of locomotives performing throughout the weekend while there will be an opportunity to explore the progress being made in restoration of the oldest privately-owned Great Western locomotive – Churchward’s magnificent 2-8-0 no. 2807.

The timetables are also now available and the loco allocations have been added to the working timetables Features include non-stop runs, local service between Toddington and Winchcombe and for the first time at a Gala, freight to Cheltenham. So don’t forget your lineside pass!

You can find a full guide to the event here – including accommodation, details of the locomotives and much more.  

We apologise for the late posting of this information due to uncertainty surrounding availability of some of the locomotives.