…and trams, traction engines, buses, ships, boats, canals and other transport subjects
Slim gauges in the Forest of Dean, and the Severn Valley gala
With lots of photos, and video too, it’s taken a little while to put it all together – but some results from the two days are now on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“. Visit “In the Forest” for an illustrated account of the day in Dean, and “Severnside M7” for photos and video of Sunday’s fun on the Severn Valley Railway
That’s M7 as in London and South Western Railway 0-4-4T, dating from the days of Dugald Drummond. 30053 normally lives on the Swanage Railway, but is visiting the Severn Valley Railway for their September gala – along with S&D 2-8-0 no. 88 from the West Somerset, the Worth Valley’s Midland 4F no. 43924 and the Caprotti 5 no. 73129 from Butterley. It was, of course, a good day, even if everything seemed to be the wrong way round. The photos and video will disprove that theory, won’t they? They’ll appear on Geoff’s Rail Diaries in due course (but not before I’ve dealt with yesterday’s outing).
The Forest of Dean is a great place for narrow gauge railways – especially when Keefs hold their annual open day. Star attraction is the completed “Barber”, the locomotive built in 1908 by T Green of Leeds for the Harrogate gas works railway – it’s ready for the journey back to South Tynedale and its return to steam. Nearby is the Lea Bailey Light Railway, where there’s a real narrow gauge industrial feel to operations. We’ll look in at Clearwell Caves too, to have a look at the locomotives there 
(including Lea Bailey’s Hunslet), before visiting Perrygrove, where the annual gala is in full swing, with visitor St Egwyn from the Evesham Vale line. There will be a full set of photos in a day or two, when I’ve had time to put a “Rail Diaries” entry together – but not tomorrow, we’re visiting the Severn Valley for their gala…
Visit “September Steam at Statfold” for photos and an account of Saturday’s open day at Statfold barn – just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“
Help! The traction engines have escaped from their field, and have wandered off into the field beside the railway. It was a bit like a herd of cows, one after another, rather hesitantly making their way from the lane, across the railway and into the stubble. They lost interest after a while and began to wander back. Yes, another great day at Statfold. Lots of photos to sort through: a selection will appear on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries”, once I’ve dealt with the pictures from yesterday’s visit to “Tracks to the Trenches”
…was great fun – an excellent afternoon’s entertainment provided by the Moseley Railway Trust at their Apedale Valley Railway. There really were 2’0″ gauge tracks running to real trenches, WW1-style. It’s amazing how much railway equipment (a) has survived from the First World War, and (b) was assembled at Apedale for the event.
There will be many more photos, on the Rail Diaries, in due course – but not for a day or two. Tomorrow it’s Statfold. In the meantime, here’s a sample – Baldwin 4-6-0T no. 778 (BLW 44656 of 1917) in action on the Apedale main line.
Just published to “Geoff’s Rail Diaries“, more pictures and video of the Chasewater gala, starring Beyer Peacock 1827 of 1879. Visit “A Peacock at Chasewater” – now!
There are moorhens in the lake, and giant dragonflies flitting about in the purple heather on the heath. There are deer grazing peacefully no great distance from the main path, just yards from the railway. And on the railway, today, is a Peacock – a Beyer Peacock, built in 1879. It makes Colin McAndrew, 103 years old, look modern. There will be more photos and video, in due course, on the “Rail Diaries” pages.
There have been some remarkable restorations and rebuilds in recent years (some wonderful new builds too). Surely the most unlikely rebuild to date is this one – Hudswell Clarke 1238 of 1916 fell into a river in Ghana, during a storm in 1948. It lay there, abandoned and forgotten, for 48 years. Today, at the Statfold Barn Railway, it made its formal return to active service for its owners, the Moseley Railway Trust. For more on today’s events, visit “1238 – Welcome Back” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries, and for more details of the project, visit this page on the Moseley Railway Trust’s Fleet List.
Moseley Railway Trust
Apedale Valley Railway
Statfold Barn Railway
A pleasant afternoon at Chasewater, for the railway’s “Burton Brewery Locomotive Day” – something just a little bit different… Visit “Beer is Best” on Geoff’s Rail Diaries for more pictures and info.
geoffspages.blog 