Guy Vincent
Time for a well overdue update to the list of GWR operated 'Castle Class' class 43 power cars that was first published on the CRS site on 15th February 2020. Since then further power cars have been added to the fleet, no withdrawals have taken place and all bar one of the original names have been applied with a further name added!
Here then is the full list with naming dates where known or first reported as named. All PC's carry GWR Green livery.
43004 Caerphilly Castle (applied 16.12.2019)
43005 St Michael's Mount (applied at Laira 11.01.2022)
43009
43010
43016 Powderham Castle (reported 28.01.2022)
43022
43027
43029
43040
43041 St Catherine's Castle (09.10.2019)
43042 Tregenna Castle (29.01.2020)
43088
43092 Cromwell's Castle (25.09.2019)
43093 Old Oak Common HST Depot 1976-2018 plus Legends of the GWR vinyls
43094 St Mawes Castle (06.01.2020)
43097 Castle Drogo (reported on 06.06.2020, name replaced 'Environment Agency' previously carried)
43098 Walton Castle (10.02.2020)
43122 Dunster Castle (05.02.2020)
43153 Chun Castle (19.10.2019)
43154 Compton Castle (20.01.2020)
43155 Rougemont Castle ((12.01.2022)
43156
43158 Kingswear Castle (05.02.2020)
43160 Castle-an-Dinas (reported 24.04.2022)
43162
43170 Chepstow Castle (13.11.2019)
43171 Raglan Castle (NEW NAME reported 03.05.2022)
43172 Tiverton Castle (21.04.2022) NEW NAME (PC formerly named Harry Patch in WW1 livery)
43186 Taunton Castle (19.12.2019)
43187 Cardiff Castle (reported named at Laira on 11.01.2022)
43188 Newport Castle (reported 04.05.2020)
43189 Launceston Castle (13.11.2019)
43192 Trematon Castle (reported 20.03.2020)
43194 Okehampton Castle (14.09.2019)
43198 Driver Brian Cooper / Driver Stan Martin. Recently overhauled & returned to service after long period stopped
The only name not yet used from the original series of 24 is Berry Pomeroy Castle. Raglan & Tiverton Castles are new additions to the set. Will we see Bristol Castle added to the list as it sits squarely on the route served by these trains?
Since the Feb 2020 report the following PC's have been added to the fleet bringing the total in use by GWR to 35.
43009 010 022 027 029 088 156 160 162 171 172
Several class 43 PCs are at Laira for component recovery to enable the fleet to remain in service for as long and as economically as possible. These are 43063 069 078 086 087 091 161 180 193 195 196 197
Power cars stored at Ely, Cambs. 43017 020 023 024 025 165 174 190 191
Former GW-operated PC's now in preservation are 43002 (NRM York) 43018 (The Railway Age Crewe) 43056 (Gwili Railway) 43071 (Colne Valley Railway) 43159 (The 125 Group, Ruddington)
Former GW-operated PC's that have been scrapped are: 43011 019 053 070 079 140 173
Scot Rail now operate 43003 012 015 021 026 028 031 032 033 034 035 036 037 124-139 141-152 163 164 168 169 175 176 177 179 181 182 183 43030 was damaged in the Stonehaven derailment in August 2020. 43185 is at Kilmarnock for spares recovery.
To conclude this feature I thought I would add the small group of class 57/6 locomotives that are used to power the overnight 'sleeper' services between Paddington and Penzance as these carry 'Castle' names.
57602 Restormel Castle 57603 Titagel Castle 57604 PENDENNIS CASTLE (Brass plates with capitals used throughout, loco in 'classic' GWR green) 57605 Totnes Castle
With regards
Guy Vincent 4th May 2022
Creech
Bill Elston
Worcester Shrub Hill. Seen here passing Creech.
Cheers, Bill Elston.
Charlotte & Guy Vincent
With regards, Guy Vincent.
PS re the Wembley-Eastleigh working that came through Westbury hauled by 57306 on Monday 2nd. I gather that on the night of 3rd 57306 was used on the down sleeper service from Paddington to Penzance so may have been seen by one of your contributors.