June 14th 2026

14/6/2026

The Lappa Valley
'Grand Gala'
Jon Hird

The Lappa Valley Railway held their annual 'Grand Gala' over the weekend of the 13th and 14th June.

Headlining the event were two visiting locomotives from the Perrygrove Railway - 'Spirit of Adventure' and 'Mr. Hallworth' - named after local engineman Tony Hallworth.

It was a well-attended event on the Saturday with a number of well-known local 'railway people' on the scene, including some CRS members! The very tight timetable held up well and an additional train was laid on to convey a number of passengers back to their cars at the very end of the day.

A rare trip out for the resident Lister shunter 'Arthur', which worked a single round trip at the start of the day with a solitary coach in tow. The railway attracts a number of die-hard 'fans' who are always keen to seize the once-a-year opportunity to travel behind this otherwise shy locomotive! 13.06.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

Lappa Valleys original engine, 'Zebedee', pilots visiting 'Spirit of Adventure' around the boating lake at East Wheal Rose. 13.06.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

Lappa Valley resident 'Muffin' piloting 'Mr. Hallworth' away from East Wheal Rose. 13.06.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

Visiting 'Spirit of Adventure' near Metha Bridge. 13.06.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

'Mr. Hallworth' enters the token section at Metha Bridge. This is an extremely large locomotive for narrow gauge and sounded very much like a 'full size' loco when under power. 13.06.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

'Mr. Hallworth' returns from East Wheal Rose, passing beneath Metha Bridge. 13.06.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

'Zebedee' piloting 'Mr. Hallworth' at Metha Bridge - the size difference between the locomotives very obvious here. 13.06.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

Bristol Sulzers & then and now
Guy Vincent

Here are a couple of photos taken at Bristol Temple Meads on Sunday 29th July 2007 showing one-off Anglia liveried 47714 stabled on the former Bath Road depot exit road with ‘Crompton’ 33202. At the time 47714 was owned and operated by Cotswold Rail and had spent some years on hire to Anglia for use on summer Saturday trains between Norwich and Great Yarmouth, plus ‘Thunderbird’ rescue duties and other stock movements as required.

In addition are two recent photo of the area formerly occupied by the old Royal Mail sorting office, now redeveloped and receiving the necessary finishing touches before handover to the University of Bristol. The trees outside the building were ‘imported’ and have only been there for a couple of months? The weeds on railway land are considerably older!

47714 stabled on the former Bath Road depot exit road at Bristol Temple Meads with ‘Crompton’ 33202. 29.07.2007, copyright Guy Vincent.

33202 at Bristol. 29.07.2007, copyright Guy Vincent.

The same scene in 2026, now redeveloped and receiving the necessary finishing touches before handover to the University of Bristol. Copyright Guy Vincent.

Many thanks Guy - the new development looks very smart, but a little sad to see more rails removed in the name of progress.