South Devon Railway - Western Branch Line Gala - Saturday 23rd February 2013

Half term brought a new event to the South Devon Railway, the Western Branch Line Gala would try to recreate branch line scenes throughout the ages, with 1 and 2 coach trains being the norm. The event was an opportunity for the railway to showcase Steam Railmotor No 93 from Didcot running up and down the line throughout the weekend. It ran alongside an autotrain and branch line trains from GWR and BR eras, being reminiscent of times gone by. It had been planned to run a three coach auto train for the first time on the line, but as one was not fit for service, a two coach auto was all that could be achieved. The full loco line up was:-
|GWR Steam Railmotor No 93 (courtesy of Didcot Railway Centre)
|GWR 14XX Class No 1450 (courtesy of Dean Forest Railway)
|GWR 4575 Class No 5542
|GWR 1366 Class No 1369
An additional Autocoach, No W232W from Bodmin was also hired in.

[@Jaidencharlotte]

Is that the livery it carried for its “Titfield Thunderbolt” role at the North Norfolk Railway the previous year?

[@baileyterry7398]

1450 is now in carriage & wagon having a complete new repaint, which should be finished in a couple of weeks. Its looking good!

[@Harrison1420]

Thanks

[@michaelsandford1015]

nice

[@AndreiTupolev]

* Forgot headlamp @ 10:00!

[@user-we2ti9hb8q]

🚂🚂🚂

[@Harrison1420]

Have they repainted their autocoaches maroon or was that being loaned from elsewhere?

[@c2757]

Repainted from what? Both of those are BR built autocoaches so the choice could be maroon or blood 'n custard. They were never in GW livery. Come to think of it, blood 'n custard was intended for main line coaches so I'm not sure they were ever in that either.

[@felixyssr.9857]

is kinda like Thomas

[@RobertdMacGregor]

Why was the 20 fired up?

[@82AStudios]

It may have been shunting some stuff in the yard, but I don't remember now.

[@thomaswicksteed]

Sadly true; it looks positively unkempt. A great pity for a Gala on one of the most agreeable s.g. lines

[@AndreiTupolev]

Wish they'd hurry up & repaint 1450. I know it was done for the recreation of the Titfield Thunderbolt film, but boy, it looks dreary. It doesn't even look proper BR Black, more a sort of matt grey.

[@c2757]

Sorry to tell you this but that was what they looked like in the 1950's and 1960's. Skimped painting meant they went that colour as soon as they got hot and lack of cleaning staff meant they then got worse rather than better. As someone who had a lot of contact with working steam on BR it has to be said that most preservation sites look like a tart's boudoir to me - not that I admit to any experience of what a tart's boudoir looks like you understand.

[@StaxRail]

@@c2757 🤣

[@boblovell5789]

@@c2757 Looks just right to me. Proves how memories stick.