GWSR Cotswold Festival of Steam | 24th-26th of May 2025

Which way ALL the locos face would be helpful to plan our journeys if anyone has the info or can say if it will appear on the website please?

 

75069, 34072, 6880 and 65 face North.
2807, 3850, 7903 and 35006 face South.

 

15 - north
Willy and The King - south

 

Directions for everything else had previously been posted earlier in the thread, hence only asking about the industrials.

Thank you!

 

7714 now visiting. No show for 34072 due to problems

 

STEAM GALA ANNOUNCEMENT: We regret to announce that, due to a late-emerging issue with 34072 '257 Squadron' at the Swanage Railway, the locomotive will no longer be able to attend the event.

We are however delighted to announce that GWR 0-6-0 Pannier Tank, No. 7714 is visiting the GWSR for the Cotswold Festival of Steam in its place. We are deeply grateful to the Severn Valley Railway and SVR Pannier Tank Fund for offering the locomotive to the GWSR. We also particularly wish to thank a number of SVR staff and hauliers who were good enough to answer our somewhat urgent phone calls for help over the weekend, their support was very much appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

www.gwsr.com/galas/steam-gala

 

@flying scotsman123 Just a query, will the bus shuttle wait for any late running services in the evenings? and what does the 8:15PM shuttle call at on Saturday night. Thanks

 

Oh dear - not having much luck with the "spamcans" are you! Still I'm always happy to see 7714. Is it going to be facing Broadway?

 

To some of us that is an upgrade!

 

Yes it should wait, and it should follow the same pattern as previous services.

Yes.

 

Will 7714 be a straight replacement for 34072 in the timerable? 75069 and 34072 were due to double-head on Saturday. 75069 and 77-4 will be a bit of an odd combination.

 

And I am one of those who agree. Absolutely nothing wrong with 34072 or any other Bulleid for that matter but 7714 is something different considering there hasn't been a 57xx/8750 type pannier visit GWSR for what? 15 years?

 

Having enquired on Facebook, it is to be a straight replacement with the only exception on the Saturday evening train when 6880 will top and tail with 35006

 

I believe that City of Wells is fixed but probably too late to reinstate this one. Big disappointment for me, Pannier tank not a good substitution for a Spam Can, but at least we have something.

 

Yes indeed, totally agree. It was always a bit marginal for me to come down to the event for one day, but the lack of any Spam Can has turned my attention fully to the Bluebell this weekend where I hope to see 34059 on the Golden Arrow (usual caveats apply).

But of course I wish the GWSR event all the very best in putting on so much that will hopefully attract a large number of happy paying visitors.

Bryan

 

The ELR kindly offered us City of Wells on Saturday afternoon when the panic phone calls started for which we were most grateful. However, sadly it just is not possible to move something like that at short notice anymore so despite best efforts it couldn't be arranged. The current situation around abnormal loads, the time taken to get a movement order and the likelihood that West Midlands Police would want to escort it round the M42 which would likely require 2 or 3 weeks notice further complicates matters with a huge extra police escort cost of circa £3800 each way.

Luckily 7714 was passing on the M5 yesterday and the haulier moving it has a current movement order covering the access route to us from the M5 for other moves he is doing for us so all came together nicely. Having put a flag up recently hopefully there will soon be a feature in Steam Railway and going forward to the HRA about these issues and how they are starting to have a significant impact on galas, their viability and scale, especially with the larger, heavier locomotives.

 

A class 3 on load 7 is always going to be more entertaining than a class 7 on the same.

 

Any latest news on any fire risk in The Cotswolds for this weekend?

 

Rain is quoted for Saturday and Monday
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2635747

 

And Wednesday before the event.