GWSR Cotswold Festival of Steam 2015: 23rd to 25th May

Where's all the photos from day 1? Was expecting a flood of brilliant bulleid action

 

Starts tomorrow

 

Well this is embarrassing

 

Top marks there Simon, well done all round.

 

I think he's been at the falling down water again.........

 

I have decided it's facebook fault..... I logged on earlier and there was a couple photos of 35006 at Wimconbe and and a photo of 34007 hauling trains (turns out from her last visit) at the top of my feed. So that's my excuse I am sticking to it....;-)

 

Just seen a picture of it on Flickr - good god does it look good! It'll almost be a shame to put a match to it for fear of getting soot on the shiny bits! This is one project I've been admiring from afar for a good few years now, can't wait to see it finished

 

Some beautiful weather now- fits the holiday theme!!!

Really shaping up to be a great event!!

 

Indeed, couldn't hope for better. I had hoped to post some photos throughout the day, but I've run out of mobile intetnets, so that's scuppered. Hopefully see some people in C+W today.

 

Very pleased with How today has gone. Good crowds and the sun shone!

 

Been a fantastic day today, very enjoyable watching the world go by in our little corner of Winchcombe at C+W. Will put some pictures up tomorrow hopefully. There were a couple of worries about Wadebridge but nothing serious in the end thank goodness. Weather was great, loads of people around, I'm sure the man with the bowler hat will be very pleased indeed.

 

34007 with brake problems. Talking to the volunteer on the footplate of 35006, it seems the locomotive has had a steam test up to 220lb/psi, but it revealed it needs a little more work; they were fairly confident it will be working towards the end of the season- good luck packing coal into that tender, though! 34092 was its reliable self, and the double-header was very reminiscent of 'that' S&D tour on Chicken Curve. There were also a couple of occasions where Winchcombe made a passable cameo of Salisbury c1960-1965, with a Bulleid on all platforms and a WR prairie simmering in the background. The two unrebuilts really did seem to draw the crowds, and talking to the mother of the driver on 34092, he was pleased as punch with his steed. Apart from 34007's misdemeanour towards the end of my time on the railway (got worried about getting back to York), it was a classic afternoon out, and I bumped into many friends.

 

Lots of punters on the trains yesterday, especially behind the West Countries. Nice weather, excellent locomotives, smart coaches,
polite staff, the beautiful Cotswold scenery .....what else can I add ? Oh yes, 35006. What a superb loco. Well done.

Thanks to all involved over the weekend. I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit. <BJ>

 

My video and a few photos from yesterday at the gala!



7820 'Dinmore Manor' passes through Gotherington with the first goods run of the day.


6960 'Raveningham Hall' coasts through Didbrook with a train for Toddington.


The immaculately turned out 35006 'Peninsular & Oriental' sits in the bay platform at Winchcombe.

 

You've caught me in that last photo, chatting instead of what I was supposed to be doing; err, chatting.

 

A grand day out yesterday. Thank you GWSR.
Lovely to see 35006 at Winchcombe yesterday; it seems to be very close to running now. It was a nice touch to have 2874 in the Toddington "Car Park" road on display. As 2807 came off the main line ready for ash disposal, I couldn't help mentioning to some onlookers that, "this was one we'd done earlier" and the one in the car park would be ready in around 3 weeks! The maroon rake of Mk 1s that I travelled on had obviously received much tlc from C&W except for 4798 but this is on the "to do-list" and every serviceable coach was needed or so it seemed! The upholstery in the coach I travelled in was beautifully restored/replaced and my companions included the largest German Shepherd Dog in the World. He was very well behaved and so we were too. Fortunately I left my Avatar at home this time.
It's also worth mentioning that, since my last visit, there is one new feature on the Line that runs from Cheltenham up to Broadway and you have to look down from the coaches to see it. The line is marked by many new culverts and drainage covers indicating much hard work and investment by the GWSR. Indeed, the Trackside Drainage gang were working up near Laverton when we passed by yesterday.

 

4798 is due out almost immediately after the gala, and its replacement is imminent. Apart from that we were all very proud of everything that went past, the third rake is looking pretty good now too, by next year I should think we'll be pretty much there, and can focus on some longer term projects (like another disabled coach). I think our freight train is also pretty good, not shining, but then you don't want it to be. I reckon next year one or two could do with a repaint though.

 

Cough, cough.......

 

After be being shown around Medstead at the MHR Spring gala maybe "pretty good" is the best he can say ;-)

Looks like a great gala, some really lovely ones of Wells and Wadebridge have popped up on Facebook this evening