Toddington GW 175 Gala

Just to let everyone know that the GWSR website now has news on this event. As part of gala commitee, I can tell you now that you wont get better value for £16 this year! This is a big event by any heritage railway standards and we are putting a large sum forward to make it happen. On line tickets go on sale from Feb 1st. Fresh news to be added as it comes! http://www.gwsr.com/gwr-175/gwr-175---the-event!.aspx

 

Looking forward to this, but have the dates been changed ?. Perhaps I had a senior moment but I booked a couple of days accommodation based on reading somewhere that it was going to be 23-29 May. Anyway, no problem.

 

So locos the following locos I take it:
HOME: 2807, 3440, 7903, 5542, 5619, 92203, 8274(?)
VISIT: 5322, 1450

3/4 more guests still to be announced then. Here's hoping for a Manor

 

I had it down as the previous week as well and booked time off of work.

Paul

 

The dates have always been 29th May to 6th June, dont know where you got your info!
Locomotive update. 5619 is leaving for the NNR in mid march and will therefor not participate in the gala.
So home fleet should include as Lil Bear states: 7903, 92203 (swindon build), 5542, 3440, 2807 and 8274 (as swindon built 8476) - the latter two are being worked on full time - it will be close, so fingers crossed.
Guests that i can say: 1450 and Auto 178 (from DFR), 5322 (Didcot) 9466 (Dennis Howells) and thats as far as i dare go. . . there will be others.
Of course - All subject to availablilty

 

Thanks for confirmation of those dates Andy. Curious though that both of us had the same wrong dates.

Cheers,

Paul

 

HR134 says 4160 and 4612 are attending but no mention of 9466.

So that gives us;
3440/3717, 8274 (as 8472), 2807, 7903, 92203, 5542
1450 + Auto, 5322, 4160, 4612, 9466?

Also Iron Duke and 3845 are supposedly going to be on display as well. Also mentions it is hoped to have GWR Saloon W80970 returned to service, and for a 15 Wagon GWR Freight including hired in wagons. Are you really going to hire in wagons? Just you don't offer Brake Van rides (or haven't previously) on your freight set so how come you are spending money on something that will not be able to make a return on your money ?

 

A few answers. Iron Duke is already at Toddington - all wrapped up! 3845 is due to attend as an idea of this is what we start from, along with a Dinmore manor fund stand.
Secondly, Yes - i believe we are looking at bringing in 6 or 7 GW wagons - our inspection around the railway identified only 7 that would be in a fit state to run. With this being a GWR celebration it was felt a bit of a cop out to run a mixed set. Expect to see the 28 on a freight! As for paying brake van rides, we did this last year (on the Queen Mary) on martelo's positioning run at the start and end of each day. Lets just say its something we will look at.
9466 have indicated they are coming, so we will have the two panniers which i hope will spend some time acting as shed and station pilot, giving visitors something to watch.
Planning is going on to work out a Paddington to Cheltenham special (castle hauled) to run on bank holiday monday. Still more locos in the pipeline, both to run and as static, but negociations still ongoing. Hope to have news in the next couple of weeks.

 

Any idea as to the length of the timetable ? Realise you more than likely wont have it ready for publication, but just a rough idea of first / last trains ?

 

That'll depend if Gotherington loop is passed out?

 

Just a quick update to some of the above (and my earlier posts) the mainline trip from Paddington to Cheltenham has been put off due to the short time now remaining - 11 weeks!
9466 now confirmed along with 5322 and 4612. Still negotiating for bigger fish. Freight train shaping up well, with 16 GW wagons lined up. 8f is coming on, slide bars are up with refurbished pistons and crossheads going in this week. Remaining motion planned for next week. Truro's repaint is coming along nicely, By the weekend the indian red frames should be in grey undercoat, tender tank has received first 50/50 undercoat/topcoat while barrel and cab are all sanded.
Start and finish times for each day are still being decided - Lil Bear will know the amount of time required of the volunteers and will therefore depend on availability. I can suggest it wont start too early or be running late into the evening. Gotherington is subject to an inspection by the railway inspectorate in early may - all fingers crossed.
There is hoped to be a beer tent at Winchcombe with special celebration beers with glass available.
Finally the Railway magazine who are our partners for this event will start pushing the publicity in forthcoming issues with incentives for pre booking etc etc. Sorry i cant be more specific at the moment - we are aware that time is ticking and that we need to start getting some news out to everyone.

 

Thanks Andy. Do understand all the effort required but was looking for an idea as to which train to catch to Cheltenham as you get discounts if booked far enough in advance. What you've posted helps though so thanks. Will be there the first Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday with 6880 as we've been invited down for the event. Already looking to be a good event.

 

Hi Andy

Will a beer tent at Winchcombe mean that the car park is unavailable?

 

I understand that Winchcombe will be unavailable for car parking. Any overflow of trade stands from Toddington will be assemble at Winchcombe. Also we are looking into a bus link from Cheltenham Spa to Cheltenham Racecourse, PLEASE be aware that due to an event at Cheltenham race course we are using the North Field for car parking - the one used for the steam and vintage fair (Our normal parking meant you had to drive through the race course). Many exciting things being discussed at the present, I truly hope they all come off!

 

Hopefully a full beer list (of upmost importance) and a subsequent loco list/roster/timetable etc will appear on the GWR web site and not be found firstly in the text of certain railway magazines?

 

Have to be there (Winchcombe) early in the morning then to be able to park somewhere within walking distance.

 

I shall be very, very annoyed if I am not given the details to go on the website first. I am pushing for information to publish all the time and as soon as there is something it will go on the site.

Steve
GWSR webmaster

 

Toddington GWR 175 Event

With 8 weeks to go this saturday, latest news is posted on the GWR's website, but just to say here that 38xx 3803 -courtesy of the South Devon Railway is now added to the list and will probably be staying until late summer. This gives the prospect of a 28xx and 38xx working together. The timetable is being worked on as we speak and looks good. I'm sure that things will be evolving right up to the wire, but this event will not be one to miss!

 

Re: Toddington GWR 175 Event

Good - I'm looking forward to the whole event.