Monday, 23 April 2018

The Fourth and Final Gala Visitor

In all of our recent series of Cotswold Festival of Steam galas, the aim has been to obtain three guest engines to supplement our home fleet of five locos.  This year, we have a slight problem which is that one of our home fleet locos, 4270 is now not expected back from repairs at Crewe in time for the gala. We have therefore on this occasion obtained a fourth guest engine, Collett 0-6-0PT, 6430, with kind permission of Hugh Shipton and the Llangollen Railway.
6430, seen here at Bishops Lydeard on the West Somerset Railway
6430 was built in 1937, one of a class of just 40 locomotives designed with small 4'7.5" wheels for working steeply graded branch lines and fitted with auto equipment.
6430 on the Dean Forest Railway
 We have no autocoach to pair with 6430 alas, but we do need a fourth rake of coaches now that we have opened to Broadway.  The only way to make that happen this year, is to press the three car DMU set into service as passenger stock hauled by 6430.  The DMU is green for at least two of the carriages (and we're hoping by the time of the gala for all three), so it will look not entirely unlike a three coach suburban rake.   Fear not, this is a steam gala, the DMU's engines will not be turned on.
6430 at Berwyn on the Llangollen Railway
 The views from the front few seats of the DMU will give an unusually good view of 6430 as it toils away up an down our line.
6430 at Llangollen
 6430 was finally withdrawn from Yeovil in 1964 and sold to Cashmore's for scrapping, however she was then promptly re-sold to the Dart Valley Railway and entered service there until 1996 when she was transferred to Llangollen
6430 working down the Llangollen line at Horseshoe Falls
To recap, the full line up for the Cotswold Festival of Steam "Give My Regards to Broadway" gala is:

Guest locos (in order of age):
Collett 4-6-0, 6023, King Edward II

Collett 0-6-0PT, 6430

USATC S160, 5197

Riddles 4-6-2, 70013, Oliver Cromwell

Home fleet locos (again in order of age):

Churchward 2-8-0, 2807


Bulleid 4-6-2, 35006, Peninsular & Oriental S.N.Co
  


Hawksworth 4-6-0, 7903, Foremarke Hall

 Collett 4-6-0, 7820 Dinmore Manor

 Don't miss out on this remarkable event, advance tickets are still available and can be obtained by clicking on this link.
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13 comments:

  1. Graham23 April 2018 at 18:44

    ok, gutted it's nota castle but very happy it's 6430 as lined green panniers are brilliant. The fact it's towing around a failed (in my head) DMU even better.

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    1. GWSR Steam Loco Dept24 April 2018 at 12:53

      There is nothing at all wrong with a pannier, I have a very soft spot for them myself. Castles are rather tricky things to get hold of, with or without a mainline connection

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    2. Graham24 April 2018 at 22:05

      The fact you landed a king and Cromwell is amamzing, and panniers in lined green are a favourite.
      Graham

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  2. St Blazey 192523 April 2018 at 22:28

    It will be nice to see 6430. (Any ex GWR - or GWR design - is welcome in my book). Would have been nice to see a 4th rake though. Yes, I know, C&W are working flat out.
    Maybe a non - corridor small rake might be a future consideration.
    Whatever, I'm sure the gala will be a tremendous success!
    And thanks for the excellent pictures.
    Regards, Paul.

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    1. GWSR Steam Loco Dept24 April 2018 at 12:59

      C&W are doing a marvellous job, and who knows, we might be in a position to run a fourth rake in the coming years.

      A small non-corridor suburban rake would indeed be a wonderful thing to have, however I fear that would not be easy to arrange.

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    2. Alex24 April 2018 at 19:57

      We'd need some non-corridor coaches for a start!

      Hopefully by next May gala, but definitely by the one after, we should be able to field 4 brake coaches (including the BG) plus 1 or 2 extra normal coaches, so if the will was there four rakes could be made. As you know the only reason you didn't get a fourth this year was because we accidentally found a substantial bit of metal framing missing from one brake coach!

      Anyway I've already seen and heard some comments welcoming the dead DMU being hauled by 6430 with people looking forward to steam haulage but with the excellent views the DMU offers; in lieu of an observation car it's the next best thing, so I'm sure it'll be a popular novelty.

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    3. Graham24 April 2018 at 22:06

      Well said Alex. Graham

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  3. Daily mayell24 April 2018 at 18:35

    great to see a Pannier tank back ,not seen on the GWSR since I joined 12 years ago . Would it be a good idea to get the Pway Dogfish rake out with Shark and run some brake van rides on short runs ? is there another Brake van coming out of C+W to use as well for more ££ income ?

    You may struggle with DMU on brake issues I hear from another source so try another freight option with dogfish ,they are having a well earned rest up at Broadway headshunt .

    All leaflets out in Mobile homes + Caravan parks north of Broadway , regards john M.

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    1. Alex24 April 2018 at 20:04

      With only 3 passenger sets frequency would IMO be too low for a 15 mile line. There should be plenty of capacity for brake van rides in the current freight train with the LMS brake van with 2 verandas about to be out-shopped.

      I'm sure the brakes will be fine on the DMU and that it hasn't been overlooked; plenty of DMUs were dragged around by steam in "real days" anyway!

      As you say though, far to long since we've had a pannier on the line, really looking forward to it. I do hope it gets a chance on the freight as well as the dead DMU though (pretty please timetable clerk? :) )

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    2. Anonymous24 April 2018 at 22:50

      So its a no on 2 counts. The third green DMU is another one riddles with rust where you can't have it so its a longer term repair not a repaint!

      and its currently a no to the LMS Guards van for passenger rides. Its not vacuumed braked and will need clearance from the ORR before it could be used. while it has been restored with passenger rides in mind its main duty will be a back up on the P'Way trains.

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  4. Unknown25 April 2018 at 15:11

    Non-corrid0r coaches seem to be as rare as hens teeth these days so train of 3 or 4 may be a good idea at galas and some week ends.

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  5. Anonymous30 April 2018 at 09:16

    Is it my imagination or are Panniers now becoming as rare as hens teeth.Maybe 7 coach trains are no longer considered financialy viable on some lines?
    SVR seem happy with them. I'd like to set up a home for them and shower them with love and attention!

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    1. GWSR Steam Loco Dept30 April 2018 at 17:44

      There are a few about, mostly on ex-GWR branch lines like the Bodmin & Wenford or South Devon Railways along with the SVR as you have mentioned. They are rather lovely things, I'm more than a little pleased that we have 6430 coming to us for the gala.

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