Going Great Western

15/06/2026

7 years ago. A birthday visit to the Tall-Y-Llyn Railway in North Wales. Full of charm and character. Hoping to return in a few days.

14/06/2026

It has been announced in the last few days the Ivatt Class 2 No. 41313 is leaving it's home on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and visiting both the Mid-Hants Railway and the Severn Valley Railway for their Autumn Galas, both of which I was planning to attend before the news broke. For an engine I didn't know that much about until I went on holiday back in May, but I seem to being see her alot.

09/06/2026

It's 'Western Wednesday'. The one day of the week where I dedicate to all aspects of The Great Western and learn why I feel it's so Great.

Still sticking with the theme of dormant locomotives returning to life, I wanted to take a look at the experimental gas-turbine locomotive No.18000.

Build by British Railways as an alternative to diesel-power in 1949, No.18000 was unique being powered by gas turbines instead of a standard diesel engine. It was built to replace an order for an earlier gas-turbine locomotive, which had been ordered from Metropolitan-Vickers by the Great Western Railway but construction was delayed due to World War II. This locomotive numbered 18100 would be constructed and delivered in 1951, before being converted to run on Electric power six years later.

After proving unsuccessful No. 18000 was withdrawn from BR in 1960 and stored at Swindon for 4 years. Before moving around Europe and becoming involved in a number of experiments concerning the interaction between steel wheels and steel rails, it was displayed in Vienna, Austria. Before being secured for preservation in the 1990s and returned to the UK.

It was moved to Barrow Hill in Derbyshire (Where it was painted in its iconic green paint), before being displayed at the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway and its current home at Didcot Railway Centre in Oxfordshire in 2011.

The pictures are from my visits to Didcot in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2025 (Allbeit in the background of one picture). Sadly it's an engine I have never seen running and you can see the weathering and rusting on her bodywork. Hopefully soon I shall see her again in her splendid new paint job. She may have been a failure as an experiment. But she is nothing, if not iconic.

(W)

09/06/2026

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Brad Rankin, Jacob Holm, Hıdır Kaymaz, Anthony Ynot Farve, Esraful Hawk, Krishna Gurung, Martin Lloyd, Emre Elyurrk, Imran Ali

08/06/2026

New short on the channel. The sunshine made an appearance today, making the passengers smile and enjoy a run up to Torpantau. Come and Visit us at the Brecon Mountain Railway. First of many to come.
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The sunshine made an appearance today, making the passengers smile ...

07/06/2026

A year ago. Enjoying a footplate experience of a quarry Hunslet locomotive on the Brecon Mountain Railway

Last year during the Brecon Mountain Railway's 45 Anniversary weeke...

06/06/2026

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Mark Baker, Roberto Legara, Er Shambhu Kr Yadav, Tony Pappin, Wanazis Mzain, Raman Raman, Moeketsi Ntsilo, Josefina Fernandez Puelo, Alok Barseria, Cathy Coulson Cameron, Brian Harris, Maqbool Khan, Walter Berry, Sandra Mcclain

04/06/2026

Now this is an announcement!!!

GWR No. 6024 King Edward I to Visit the NVR
We are delighted to announce that GWR No. 6024 King Edward I will be visiting the NVR over the weekend of 10–11 October.

This will be the first King Class locomotive to operate over the former LNWR route on the NVR. In addition to hauling passenger services on Saturday 10 October, the King will also haul our popular Jolly Fisherman Train, The Cornish Riviera Express, on Saturday evening. Passenger services will continue to operate on Sunday 11 October.

The locomotive's visit is made possible through the generous support of the Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust, to whom we extend our grateful thanks.

Tickets will go on sale on Thursday 11 June.
https://nvr.org.uk/product.php/564/travel-with-a-king
https://nvr.org.uk/product.php/565/the-cornish-riviera-express-jolly-fisherman

We look forward to welcoming this magnificent locomotive to the NVR for what promises to be a memorable weekend.
Photograph Credit Tom Peacock

03/06/2026

It's 'Western Wednesday'. The one day of the week where I dedicate to all aspects of The Great Western and learn why I feel it's so Great.

This week we will be looking at Railway Royalty. Following the national news that No. 6024 'King Edward I' could be back online soon. I thought I would share my experience with this wonderful class of engine.

Unlike many other classes, the Great Western Kings are ones I have seen all surviving members in preservation and here they are now.

Back in 2004, No. 6024 'King Edward I pulled a Mainline charter through my home town of Port Talbot. It even stopped to take on water (supplied by the local fire brigade). Sadly no pictures could be found. But I remember the day well.

I have seen No. 6023 'King Edward II' many times when I visited Didcot. Though sadly she was never steaming. I have pictures from trips I made in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2025. This was my favourite showing her in the sunshine at Didcot in August 2014.

I saw No. 6024 'King Edward I' again, this time in pieces at the workshops at Minehead Station on the West Somerset. This picture was taken in March 2018. Hopefully I can get a new picture soon.

The final King was the prototype. No. 6000 'King George V'. It was Kune 2021 when I finally got to see her. Looking Grand in STEAM alongside 'Caerphilly Castle' and 'City of Truro'.

'The Three Kings of GWR,
Railway Royalty both near and far,
Pedigree Highest,
Collett's Finest,

No. 6000 'King George V'
No. 6023 'King Edward II'
No. 6024 'King Edward I'