[May 30, 2016] Gloucesteshire Warwickshire Railway "Swindon Built" Steam Gala (Gloucestershire)

The GWSR's "Cotswold Festival of Steam Gala", "Swindon Built", will mark the 175th Anniversary since Sir Daniel Gooch selected Swindon to be the site of the Great Western Railway's locomotive works.

The gala will run on the late May bank holiday weekend, May 28th - 30th 2016

The loco line up will be as follows:

Home fleet:
Churchward 2-8-0, 2807
Churchward 2-8-0T, 4270
Collett 4-6-0, 7820, Dinmore Manor
Bulleid, 4-6-2, 35006, Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co

Visitors:
BR Standard, 2-10-0, 92214 (By kind permission of the Great Central Railway)

Two further guest locos to be announced.

It is hoped to have up to 8 standard gauge locomotives in steam, (subject to availability).

In 2807, we have the oldest Swindon built locomotive currently capable of being steamed, and in 92214, we have the youngest Swindon built steam locomotive capable of being steamed.

This will be the first ever steaming at a gala for Bulleid Merchant Navy class 35006, Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co.

For more details, see the GWSR Steam Locomotive blog here
http://gwsrsteamloco.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/the-cotswold-festival-of-steam-swindon.html

or the main GWSR web site, here:
http://www.gwsr.com/planning-your-visit/2016-events-calendar/cotswold-festival-of-steam-2016.aspx

Discounted advance ticket sales available here:
http://gwsr.vticket.co.uk/product.php/127/steam-gala-swindon-built-28th-30th-may-2016

 

The second guest has been announced today, 46521 also like 92214 from GCR.

 

Love blossom, any idea what the third visitor could be. Last year gala was great, very tempted to visit.

 

Excellent, another loco I won't feel like I'm missing out on, as I'm on holiday during the gala. But another good choice. Surely the final guest ought to be something with a copper cap - although no inside knowledge whatsoever there, just as much knowledge as anyone else at the moment!

 

If it were running the 8F from Keighley would be ideal. A Swindon gala with no actual GWR / western designs

*visiting that is.

 

As you say, 48431 would have been ideal, as would 75078 (which is running) from the KWVR, however they are locked in by the weak bridge issue, so we didn't approach them. Our 3rd guest will pretty much have to be a GWR design to continue if it is to fit in with the theme. News on which loco it is will appear in this thread when the time is right. The home fleet is of course almost entirely of GWR origin, and should Foremarke Hall turn out to be available in time, then it will cover examples of locos from all the CME's from Churchward onwards.

 

Perhaps another Hawksworth design then, just to be sure?

 

Although not a Great Western loco, it will be good to see Bulleid 35006 'Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co.' in service. <BJ>

 

There is a real danger of the only non-Swindon-built loco at the gala stealing the show! A Churchward design would do for me. Is 6023 available? 7822 could come back from Llangollen and the 2 Manor spectacle could be repeated.

 

Just to keep this thread in the public eye, although we are still unable release news of our third guest (I believe we are waiting on contracts) things are starting to come together. 92214 and 46521 (freshly painted in green) are booked. we can now release our plans for the Saturday (28th) evening train which will consist of a 14 coach train, topped and tailed by 92214 on the south (Cheltenham) end and 35006 on the north (Broadway end) . This will give the MN a decent return load of equivalent 18!
Of course all locomotives and operations are subject to change and availability.
As for 7903 we're holding out that it may make the event but don't want to dash anyone's hope if not.

 

That's something I have to see.

 

Very, very annoyed I'm missing that train, looks great fun! There's even a space on the roster, but I'm on holiday.

Hope it's popular enough to do next year though.

 

6023 isn't availble I'm afraid and unfortunately, the Llangollen Railway will only have enough locos for their own needs over our gala weekend and can't spare 7822. I am delighted to be able to announce though, that we have secured (courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway and Erlestoke Manor Fund), 7812, Erlestoke Manor as our third gala visitor, so not a million miles away from what you were hoping for. Seen here from GWSR resident, 7820, Dinmore Manor.

 

Timetable is here without rosters http://gwsr.com/media/353359/swindon built timetable 2016.pdf

 

Good to see 7903 listed as hopeful, she was outside with all her cladding on the other week.

 

7903 is progressing well, but still too close to call, even at this late stage.

 

I saw that 7903's paint job had been completed by Saturday, so still hopeful!

I see today is the last day for booking tickets for the gala, for anyone planning to do that.

 

Is there a timetable with locos allocated yet? My tickets ordered today

 

Not yet as far as I can see, keep checking here, they should appear soon. Hope you enjoy yourself!

 

35006 was on the loco roster for Tuesday 31st May, but now been removed.