Vintagetrains organised a special excursion, the final one of their Rail200 celebration. 60 years ago (27 Nov 1965) BR Western Region organised a Farewell to Steam special train from Paddington to Bristol to Cheltenham. In 2025 the same locomotive, Clun Castle gets to do it again!
The excursion would go from Birmingham new street (0757) to London Paddington (1419), diesel hauled with Clun Castle on board. Clun castle would then take the lead (after doing a 3 point turn in West Ealing) and go from Paddington (1440)to Bristol Temple meads (1812) then after a break Return at 1947 to Birmingham New Street (2222). A long day!
Due to bus replacement service between Birmingham international and Rugby and Worcester to roitwich I travelled to Birmingham International by car and caught a train to New Street, passing the coaches diesel hauled with Clun Castle on the back waiting outside the station. The train came in (3Z35) and the diesel was detached and disappeared. Clun castle led the train (1Z35) out of New Street and took the train as far as Small heath (near where it had started the day at Tysely) where the same diesel was waiting and was attached to the front to lead the journey to Paddington. The journey had some long pauses while other trains were allowed to pass us. When we got to ealing a reversal manouvre was done so Clun castle would be facing the correct way coming out of Paddington.
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| About turn! |
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| The diesel leads into the Platform |
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| It was very busy at the Clun Castle end of the platform so I went to the next Platform |
Clun Castle then set off West (1Z36) through the mist and rain getting to bristol on time
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| Safely at Temple Meads |
Clun Castle, diesel and coaches went off to the Bristol East depot for servicing. I went to weatherspoons for a desert!
Returning to Temple Meads at the posted time 1930 showed no sign of our Train. We waited and waited (5Z37) until we discovered that the signals to get out of the depot had a fault and it couldnt leave the depot. It eventually arrived at the platform at 2015 and left at 2031(1Z37). With Clun still leading it stormed past Gloucester and arrived in Birmingham only 22 minutes late
The departure from New Street
342 miles total
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