GWR 5600 class 0-6-2T 5643
Swanwick Junction, 1 May 2010
15 years ago today Great Western Railway (GWR) 5600 class 0-6-2T 5643 (b.1925, Swindon) was on hire to the Midland Railway-Butterley (from the Ribble Steam Railway if memory serves…) and is seen here taking on water at Swanwick Junction between workings.
GWR 4900 class 4-6-0 4965 ROOD ASHTON HALL
Stratford-upon-Avon, 18 July 2004
Twenty years ago today I took a trip on The Shakespeare Express from Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham Snow Hill.
Great Western Railway ‘Hall’ class 4-6-0 4965 ROOD ASHTON HALL (built in 1929 at Swindon Works) was in charge of the eight coach train and I remember enjoying the journey in spite of the torrential rain!
ROOD ASHTON HALL nameplate
Birmingham Snow Hill, 18 July 2004
43087 leads ‘The Royal Duchy’ past Truro signal box
4 August 2014
In the early hours of this morning Truro signal box (formerly Truro East) signalled its last train. The semaphore signals will be removed and control of the section will be handed to a panel in Exeter power box.
The Great Western Railway (GWR) type 7a structure dates from 1899 and is fitted with a 54-lever frame that came from Bristol East Depot Main Line signal box in 1971.
43087 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment Royal Logistic Corps and 43042 were in charge of train 1C81, the 12.06 First Great Western service, ‘The Royal Duchy’ from London Paddington to Penzance on the 4 August 2014 and although 43087 was scrapped in December 2022, 43042 (now named Tregenna Castle) can still be found working in Cornwall.
Railway Miscellany 