The Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway's
Mixed Traffic Extravaganza
Ian Thomas
The Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Extravaganza was advertised for this weekend (October 10th–11th), and so Jill and I took advantage of this with pre-booked tickets. It was our first gala event since May, as Jill was awaiting a hip operation, and so all was on hold. She has now had the op and is recovering well, and so we can get mobile once more.
We arrived at Toddington around 9am, giving us time to get some coffee and get on the platform ready for the 09.38 departure to Broadway, with 47-105 up front and 20-137/228 at the rear. From Broadway, it was the Class 20s all the way to Cheltenham.
This did take me back to the late 1970s/early 1980s, when it was possible to travel behind 20s on Class 1 duties. The East Midlands holiday trains to Skegness and return. Down here, we had the 15.15 Plymouth–Manchester (1M60), which called at Gloucester and re-engined. The diagram was for the locomotive off the 15.15 Bescot–Gloucester freight to work 1M60 forward to Birmingham New Street. This turned up with just about anything, from Type 4 diesels down to Class 20s. The train was also banked up the Lickey Incline with a pair of Class 37s, making it more a railtour than a service train! Happy days!
Anyway, it was a good sortie down to Cheltenham. We then took GWR 2807 to Winchcombe for the bubble car DMU W55003 back to the racecourse and return to Winchcombe. It is always nice to bag the seats right behind the driver, and that is what we did.
We then had a break from travelling to visit the Carriage & Wagon Works and upholstery department, all quite interesting. Also of note, languishing out the back, is Mark 1 M24006. This is the oldest surviving Mark 1, built in 1951, and is in line for the workshop.
We then took the Black 5, 45110, from Winchcombe to Broadway and finally back to Toddington.
A good day all round, and the weather was mainly dry and a tad cooler than recently, at 15°C.
Our next event is with the Railway Touring Company to Switzerland in mid-November. This involves Crocodile haulage over the Gotthard Pass and steam on the Rigi, plus more. At least we are now moving again!
We arrived at Toddington around 9am, giving us time to get some coffee and get on the platform ready for the 09.38 departure to Broadway, with 47-105 up front and 20-137/228 at the rear. From Broadway, it was the Class 20s all the way to Cheltenham.
This did take me back to the late 1970s/early 1980s, when it was possible to travel behind 20s on Class 1 duties. The East Midlands holiday trains to Skegness and return. Down here, we had the 15.15 Plymouth–Manchester (1M60), which called at Gloucester and re-engined. The diagram was for the locomotive off the 15.15 Bescot–Gloucester freight to work 1M60 forward to Birmingham New Street. This turned up with just about anything, from Type 4 diesels down to Class 20s. The train was also banked up the Lickey Incline with a pair of Class 37s, making it more a railtour than a service train! Happy days!
Anyway, it was a good sortie down to Cheltenham. We then took GWR 2807 to Winchcombe for the bubble car DMU W55003 back to the racecourse and return to Winchcombe. It is always nice to bag the seats right behind the driver, and that is what we did.
We then had a break from travelling to visit the Carriage & Wagon Works and upholstery department, all quite interesting. Also of note, languishing out the back, is Mark 1 M24006. This is the oldest surviving Mark 1, built in 1951, and is in line for the workshop.
We then took the Black 5, 45110, from Winchcombe to Broadway and finally back to Toddington.
A good day all round, and the weather was mainly dry and a tad cooler than recently, at 15°C.
Our next event is with the Railway Touring Company to Switzerland in mid-November. This involves Crocodile haulage over the Gotthard Pass and steam on the Rigi, plus more. At least we are now moving again!
Images of the GWR Mixed Traffic event. Click for enlargements. All images taken 10.10.2026 and are copyright Ian Thomas.
Many thanks Ian - hope the Switzerland trip goes well!
The Drain Train & A '69'
Guy Vincent
A rare sight through Wiltshire on Monday with the Balfour Beatty drain-cleaning train making its way south ‘the great way round’ from Swindon to Woking following weekend operations in the Wootton Bassett area. The train ran via Melksham, Westbury, Salisbury and Andover rather than by way of Reading West and reversal at Basingstoke. This was the first appearance of the train at Westbury, hopefully it will find employment in the area at some future time.
20901 with flats KFA 83704574013, KFA 83704574009 and 20905 pause and depart Westbury on 12.10.2026. Click for enlargements. All above images copyright Guy Vincent.
The train is then seen passing through Warminster a short time later with 6J09 1001 Swindon Transfer - Woking. 12.10.2026, copyright Charlotte Vincent.
69005 (formerly 56007) departing Westbury yard with a long welded rail delivery train bound for Eastleigh. This set had come to Westbury from Eastleigh on Thursday 8th and went out over the weekend to drop rails between Stroud and Kemble. This operation ran into problems when 66308 suffered a mechanical fault and failed near Kemble. The return Sunday morning working to Westbury was delayed by around 4 hours as a rescue loco (66544) had to be sent out from Swindon to assist. 12.10.2026, copyright Guy Vincent.
Many thanks Guy, really good to see the veteran class 20's still serving a useful purpose.
Mondays Clay
Jon Hird
66766 approaches Par with the Fowey - Goonbarrow empty JIA's. With the dark evenings really drawing in, I imagine this will be my last photo of 6G05 for this year, unless I manage to catch it running very early one day! 12.10.2026, copyright Jon Hird.
Class 47's in the far west
Michael Forward
A couple more class 47s in the far West. Firstly we see 47549 'Royal Mail' passing through Hayle on Sunday 19 June 1988 with the 10.19 Penzance to Paddington. Copyright Michael Forward.
The day before we see 47427 outside Long Rock depot. 18.06.1988, copyright Michael Forward.
Lovely stuff Michael - many thanks indeed.
Penzance Class 175's
Roger Winnen
The sun lights up Penzance station as 175002 waits to head East. 12.10.2026, copyright Roger Winnen.
175002 beneath the roof at Penzance. 12.10.2026, copyright Roger Winnen.
175011 and 175114 arrive on a service from Plymouth. 12.10.2026, copyright Roger Winnen.
175114 at Penzance. 12.10.2026, copyright Roger Winnen.
Many thanks as always Roger.
October 1976
Part 13
Roger Winnen
D1009 Western Invader rests in sea sidings Penzance. 09.10.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Penzance Station - 4 Class 50s and 1 Western (D1053?) together with a DMU.
D1023 - 'Western Fusilier' at Penzance. 10.10.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
D1015 Western Champion at Penzance. 10.10.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
