CITY OF TRURO COMES HOME TO SWINDON
23 February 2010
Famous locomotive, 3440 City of Truro, part of the National Railway Museum’s collection, and the 2000th locomotive to be built at the Great Western Railway works in Swindon in 1903, is returning to SWINDON for one weekend in June.
The first steam locomotive to (unofficially) exceed 100 mph, in 1904, is to be painted in its original livery of black frames, with unlined green, for the first time since the 1930s, and will also sport its original service number of 3717. This well liked engine draws crowds wherever it goes.
2010 is GWR175, an important milestone, marking the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Great Western Railway. A date made all the more important by virtue of the fact that, 25 years ago, the planned 150th anniversary celebrations at Swindon Works were cancelled, 10 days before the big event was to take place, owing to the announcement by British Rail Engineering that Swindon Works was to close in the near future.
The totally volunteer run Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Wiltshire’s only standard gauge Heritage railway, is playing its part in the GWR175 celebrations with a GWR175 Steam Gala over the two consecutive weekends of 12/13 and 19/20 June, featuring a different line-up of four locomotives in steam each weekend.
The first weekend of 12/13 June will feature City of Truro, along with Collett 2-6-2 tank 5542, coupled to Auto-coach 178, also especially brought in for the occasion. Two of the home fleet of 0-6-0 tank engines will be in steam as well.
The second weekend of 19/20 June will feature a surprise former GWR guest locomotive, plus 5542 running with Auto-coach 178, plus two of the home fleet of 0-6-0 tank engines.
5542, which will remain at the Railway for a number of weeks, was built in the GWR works in Swindon in 1928.
Auto-coaches are not merely coaches by a different name. They get their name from the fact that they have driving controls at either end, enabling the train to be driven without using the controls on the steam locomotive footplate. Of course, being a steam engine, at least a fireman was needed to keep fueling the locomotive, and watch certain other important gauges… Sometimes, a locomotive would be sandwiched between two auto coaches, to form a push-pull auto train. Such trains from the 1920s were, technically, the forerunners of the modern trains of today, that drive from either end.
This event is the largest event ever contemplated by the S&CR, and the Railway is actively seeking sponsorship to help offset the large costs involved in bringing the various locomotives and Auto-coach to Swindon. From sponsoring a “whole” locomotive, to a ton of coal. If interested in helping the Railway with sponsorship, please contact Paul Ricks on 07738 475317.
The Railway is keen to point out that this is a family event, not just an enthusiasts event, as there will be a vintage funfair for both weekends. And miniature train rides on the second weekend.
The charity “The Railway Children” will be present for the second weekend, with all profits from the miniature train rides going towards this most deserving cause.
A further attraction will be “driver for a fiver”, whereby, visitors can try their hands at the controls of a steam engine for a short distance, up and down.
Coincidentally, the Railway is hoping to have a further half mile of track available to use for the Steam Gala. This is part of the ongoing line expansion south to, ultimately, Sparcells.
In between the two weekends, there will be a number of themed days, including footplate experiences, and a photographic day.
There will be a bus service to the Railway, from the GWR Museum, STEAM in Swindon. With a joint ticket available; advance tickets will be available from the Railway website www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org from 1st March.
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