Vol 35: GWR 175, Part 1: February – June 2010

On two discs, a record of the mainline events that marked the 175^th anniversary of the Great Western Railway.

In Part 1: 11 tours including the record-breaking Bristolian, 9600 banking Lizzie on the Lickey Incline and Steam Dreams’ 2 day Cornish Riviera Express.

Featuring 4965 Rood Ashton Hall, 5972 Olton Hall, 5029 Nunney Castle, 5043 Earl Of Mount Edgcumbe, 6024 King Edward I, pannier tank 9600, 6201 Princess Elizabeth, 70013 Oliver Cromwell & D1015 Western Champion.

Available on Blu-ray or DVD.

Special Offer: Buy Vol 35 and get Vol 36 half price. £15 for both DVDs or £22.50 for both Blu-ray Discs.

YouTube clip.

What counts as a “GWR 175” tour? There are 3 “interlopers” on this disc. 70013 deserves its place as a representative of the BR standard locos, which were common on the Western Region, and three quarters of the route on 1^st May was in GW territory. 6201 was designed by Swindon-trained William Stannier, and is seen by some as the GWR pacific that Swindon never built. The Red Dragon was run over GW metals, as was most of The Britannia Banker, which also has to be included because of the part played by 9600.

Featured locomotives:

Hall class 4965 Rood Ashton Hall & 5972 Olton Hall
Castle class 5029NunneyCastle& 5043 Earl Of Mount Edgcumbe
King class 6024 King Edward I
57xx class pannier tank 9600
LMS Princess Royal class 6201 Princess Elizabeth
BR Standard class 7 70013 Oliver Cromwell
Class 42 diesel hydraulic D1015 Western Champion

6^th Feb The Great Western Incursion

4965+5043: Tyseley-Kidderminster-Kemble-Didcot and return. Chalford; Sapperton; Bourton; Didcot Railway Centre; Knighton Crossing; Coates.

3^rd Apr The Moonraker

5043: Solihull-Oxford-Basingstoke-Salisbury and return. Northbrook.

16^th-18^th Apr The Bristolian

Fri 16^th, Positioning train. 5043: Solihull-Slough. Radley; Cholsey.

Sat 17^th, The Bristolian. 5043: Paddington-Bath-Bristol Temple Meads-Badminton-Paddington. Uffington; Shrivenham; Corston; Narroways Junction, Bristol; Westerleigh; Cholsey.

Sat 18^th, Positioning train. 5043: Slough-Solihull. Culham; Tackley; Clattercote.

1^st May The Welshman

70013: Poole-Bath-Cardiff and return. Lockerley; Stockton; Severn Tunnel Junction; Upton Scudamore.

1^st May The Beltane Express

5043: Solihull-Oxford-Didcot and return. Yarnton.

15^th May The Cornishman

4965+5043:BristolTM-Exeter-Plymouth and return. Beam Bridge; Whiteball Tunnel (both sides); Rattery; Hemerdon (three locations); Woodrow Barton; Stoke Cannon; KillertonPark.

20^th May ECS Movement

5972: Carnforth-Tyseley-Oxford-Southall. Tackley (2 locations); Culham.

22^nd May The Southern Irishman

21^st May: Light engine movement – 5029: Didcot GWS-Bristol Barton Hill. Didcot; Swindon.

5029: Newport-Pontyclun-Felin Fran-Carmarthen, Fishguard-Felin Fran-Pontyclun-Cardiff. Llanharan; Ferryside; Spittal; Britton Ferry.

29^th May The Britannia Banker

6201:Tyseley Warwick Rd-Kidderminster-Worcester-Kemble-Didcot-Kemble-Bromsgrove. 6201+9600: Bromsgrove-Saltley (reverse)-Tyseley. Sapperton; Longcot; Lickey Incline (3 locations).

19^th June The Red Dragon

5043: Solihull-Foxhall Jc. 6201: Didcot Foxhall Jc-Badminton-Swansea-Badminton-Oxford-Solihull. Radley; Rodbourne; Uffington.

26^th, 28^th June The Cornish Riviera Express

Sat 26^th, 6024: Paddington-Newbury-Taunton. 6024+D1015: Taunton-Exeter. 5029+6024: Exeter-Plymouth-Par. Somerton; Whiteball; Dainton; Rattery; Forder; St Germans.

Mon 28^th, 5029+6024: Penzance-Exeter-Bristol-Swindon-Paddington. Angarrack; Chasewater; Largin; Liskeard; Hemerdon (2 locations); Combefishacre; Burlescombe (3 locations); Dauntsey; Wantage Rd.

July-October is covered on Steam Age Pictures Vol. 36.