4F 0-6-0 shunting tank wagons at Toddington (Ian Crowder)


34007 Wadebridge waiting for the right away as the auto train approaches Winchcombe. (Ian Crowder)

The rain may have dampened the countryside but it certainly didn't dampen the spirits of visitors to the Cotswold Festival of Steam over the first weekend. Over 2,000 passengers have been carried on the GWR's trains so far.  "I'm certain we would have carried many more had the weather been fine but considering the appalling conditions, this is an extraordinary result. Who would have expected that we would have had to put the steam heating on in the coaches? The atmosphere has been fantastic and the emails are pouring almost as heavily as the rain, from people who have enjoyed the spectacle of seven steam locomotives at work," says Commercial Director Ian Crowder.

A real disappointment was the failure of the National Railway Museum's celebrity Lord Nelson class locomotive, no. 850 Lord Nelson. This engine is being inspected during the week and a leak from the firebox foundation ring is being attended to so hopefully, it will be back in service at the weekend.

"On the positive side there have been some real highlights.  First, was the 'Coffee Pot' auto service using locomotive 5542 with two auto-trailers, identical to those that used to work local services on the line for over 30 years until the stations were closed in 1960," says Ian. "This has been very popular with visitors."

The locomotive propels the locomotives in one direction with the driver operating the controls through linkages from a driving cab at the front of the leading coach. For the return journey, the locomotive pulls the coaches.  On both days of the weekend you can enjoy a trip on the auto train all the way from Toddington to Cheltenham and return, departing Toddington at 09.00 and returning from Cheltenham at 09.40.  The Coffee Pot then shuttles between Toddington and Winchcombe until the last return trip of the day, departing Toddington at 17.40 and returning from Cheltenham Race Course at 18.15.

The other highlight has been the decidedly filthy appearance of Black Prince, in the condition that it was in 1968 when it was handed over to David Shepherd (see story below).  "Many people have said: 'That's just how I remember these freight engines - they were never cleaned but just got on with their unglamorous work hauling endless freight trains'",says Ian. "Even David Shepherd, who put in an appearance at the railway on a rain-swept Bank Holiday Monday, was impressed: he said it brought memories of the last days of steam on BR flooding back."

Meanwhile, pay a visit to the railway during this week - normal services are running using visiting locomotives such as 34007 Wadebridge and LMS 4F class 0-6-0 no. 44422 - an engine that was once based at Gloucester and may well have worked over this line in steam days.