Beat that! Sun brings out the crowds for Cotswold Festival of Steam
posted 5th June 2007

Glorious weather, packed car park, happy faces, long queues for the ice cream van and standing room only in the train corridors spelt a truly memorable Cotswold Festival of Steam over four days from 31^st May. Just under 5,000 tickets were sold and, given the star-studded cast of locomotives in action, there were plenty of comments that the £12 adult all-day fare represented excellent value for money.

But the approach to the event wasn’t without its potential hitches. As anyone involved in running a steam gala will know, there’s no guarantee that the locomotives hired in for the occasion will be available until they’ve actually rolled off the low-loader and passed their acceptance examination.

At one stage, it looked as if the star of the show LNER V2 Prairie no. 4771 Green Arrow would be stopped after its annual boiler examination at the National Railway Museum. Thankfully, though, it was decided that while it should be withdrawn from main line service, it could still be released for work on the GWR and other heritage railways, albeit subject to a reduction in boiler pressure.

Then, following a loading hitch at the West Somerset Railway, Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway 7F 2-8-0 no. 88 failed to follow its tender into Toddington yard on Wednesday. In the event, the engine arrived on Thursday morning, necessitating a quick re-write of the timetable for the day: but all was well and no. 88 managed to work the penultimate service of the day to Cheltenham, in company with West Country pacific no. 34007 Wadebridge.

“It’s events like this that show the GWR’s volunteers in the best possible light,” says Ian Crowder, a member of the organising team. “As volunteers, putting on such spectacular display has to be weaved in with the ‘day job’ but everyone pulled out the stops to make sure we put on a spectacular show for our visitors. Every volunteer deserves a round of applause.”

“Of course, the Festival wouldn’t have been possible either without the co-operation of locomotive owners and the railways they normally work. We are truly grateful to the owners and operators of our visiting locomotives,” Ian adds. “We’ve enjoyed seeing some new locomotives to our line and new faces of their support crews, there has been a real buzz in the locomotive department over the last few days.”

Thanks go to:

• The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust for sending their beautiful Prussian Blue 2-8-0 no. 88 and the West Somerset Railway for releasing it.

• Paddy Goss for his delightful Port Talbot/GWR 0-6-0ST no. 813, which at 106 years old was the most venerable locomotive at the Festival. Also to the Shackerstone Railway where the engine is currently resident.

• The National Railway Museum for its iconic, unique Gresley 2-6-2 no. 4771 Green Arrow. This engine remains on the line to the end of August.

• Locomotive 5542 Limited for Great Western small Prairie no. 5542, which is resident on the GWR for the 2007 season. Also to Mike Little and Tim Hornby of GWR Autocarriers for allowing their beautiful Autotrailer no. 178 to work with no. 5542 and to the Dean Forest Railway for releasing the coach.

• 7903 Ltd for their Hawksworth 4-6-0 no. 7903 Foremarke Hall, which is the only Modified Hall class locomotive currently in working order. This engine is resident on the GWR.

• The Wadebridge Locomotive Trust for newly-restored Bulleid Southern pacific, no. 34007 Wadebridge, and to the Mid-Hants Railway for allowing the engine to visit the GWR

• And last, but not least, artist and wildlife conservationist David Shepherd and his own giant of steam, British Railways 9F class 2-10-0 no. 92203 Black Prince, which is resident on the GWR. This engine, at just 48 years old, is the youngest main-line steam locomotive currently in working order less than half the age of Paddy Goss’s saddle-tank no. 813.

Thanks also to our sponsors: Steam Railway magazine; Goffs Brewery at Winchcombe (which brews the GWR’s Rail Ale); Moveright International who also organised transport of the locomotives to the line and Woodmancote-based David Andrews Locomotive Kits.

Were you one of the Paparazzi?

Viewing the line ahead from the footplate there was a sea of hi-viz with almost countless photographers by the lineside. No doubt many of the pictures taken will appear in the railway media while footage will eventually be released on DVD. Were you one of them? If so, would you care to release some selected pictures for the galleries on this site? Or even a short film clip for the video gallery? Please contact our gallery editor or webmaster and let them know what you have to offer and share your artistry with the world. If you have your own website, we’ll be happy to provide a link.

Have your say!

What did you think of the Cotswold Festival of Steam? You can tell us here and we look forward to hearing your views and comments: let us know what went well, as well as what we might improve in future.

1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

1 - Some of the GWR’s steam department’s cleaners set about Wadebridge on Friday morning (Picture Steve George)
2 - Meanwhile Driver George Forrest is busy underneath the engine oiling up (Picture Steve George)
3 -  Three of the best: 88, Green Arrow and Wadebridge present a colourful image at Toddington on Sunday morning (Picture Ian Crowder)
4 - Trip freight:  No. 813 sets off for Cheltenham at 8.30 with a gunpowder van and brake van while 5542 waits in no. 1 road (Picture Ian Crowder)
5 - Holiday atmosphere: visitors pack the platforms as the Atlantic Coast Express sets off from Toddington (!) behind 34007 Wadebridge (Picture Ian Crowder).