[Photoplug] Marlow Donkey, 1973

Here are eight photos by Les Tindall of this event, which commemorated the centenary of the Marlow branch.

It starred 1450, 6101 and 6998.

I believe this was the first time they had steamed on the mainline in preservation - please can anybody confirm or correct?

https://andrewstransport.smugmug.com/LesTindalls1970sBritishtrains/Marlow-Donkey-1973/i-bR7KGx6

Andrew N

 

I don't think 6106 had been out of Didcot since it arrived there in late '67, but 6998 had done its first railtour the year before. I believe 1450 was a last-minute substitute for a sick 1466!

Interesting photos, anyway!

 

1st July 1973 it did a run to Oxford with 6998 and 3 coaches. I’m looking at the photo of it now in Great Western Revival by Hugh Ballantyne. Caption says it was a running in turn.

 

Yes I'd forgotten it had been to Oxford, in my defence this was way before my time! I think there was talk of it doing a railtour around this time. There were also plans for a tour with 5322 during this period, while it was based at Caerphilly.

 

There are some more photos of the event, plus other pictures of the branch, on the Marlow & District Railway Society website.

http://www.mdrs.org.uk/wycmaidmarlow.htm#1970s

The advance booking information referred to 1466, so it appears that 1450 was indeed a late stand in.

https://www.mmpa.org.uk/gallery/gallery29/index.html

 

Speechless! I have always sworn I could remember seeing an auto train, a GWR auto train, and a 'big train', but I wasn't born until 1971, and my dad didn't take me to Didcot until I was 5 or 6. After seeing this, I asked mum, and she vaguely remembers that my grandad took me to Bourne end- so a couple of days from my 2nd birthday, I guess it made an impression!