Our Day Out

You can’t beat a lads’ day out for a spot of bonhomie and banter. Our most recent away day was at the Llangollen Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala. It precipitated persistently for most of the day, but it takes more than a spot of rain to dampen the spirits when we all get together.

If there was ever a case for an over-all cab roof this was it, but the Gala’s visiting engine was the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Aspinall Class 27 0-6-0 No. 1300 from the East Lancashire Railway, and she is not so blessed in that department. She was in her later LMS guise, as Class 3F No. 12322. Built in Horwich, in 1896, and withdrawn from service in 1960, she is the only surviving example from a class that once numbered 484 engines, of which I managed to see just 6. They were the L&YR’s standard goods locomotives.

We soon discovered that the planned guided tours of the workshops were all booked up for the day. Brief but intense negotiations followed, resulting in an extra tour being laid on just for us, in the company of Llangollen Railway Trust Vice President, Gordon Heddon. Gordon’s background knowledge was illuminating and the time just flew by.

We were introduced to Matt Jervis, apprentice with the Boiler and Engineering Training Trust. He climbed into one that he had been working on recently and got steamed up with as much infectious enthusiasm as you could possibly imagine from someone who might otherwise have been enjoying a quiet day off. Pamphlets and information boards can’t compete with first-hand descriptions straight from the horse’s mouth, and we were all riveted [figuratively, that is].

The stand-out attraction at Llangollen these days – apart from the wonderfully scenic Dee valley route and the ongoing drama of the push to Corwen – is the preponderance of new build initiatives that have found a home here. They must be doing a lot of things right for that to happen. Some projects are more advanced than others; LMS Patriot Class 4-6-0 No 45551 The Unknown Warrior and GWR Grange Class 4-6-0 No 6880 Betton Grange are well on the way. Alongside them are the relatively embryonic GWR “Night Owl” Heavy Freight Class 4700 2-8-0 No. 4709 and LNER Class B17 4-6-0 No. 61673 Spirit of Sandringham.

Gordon Heddon leads the way and Matt Jervis waits in the wings to enlighten us further, on our exclusive tour of the Llangollen workshops. [Photo with thanks to Dave Beck]

The success of the venture brings much-needed employment and welcome apprenticeship opportunities to this part of rural Wales. It also attracts essential young blood to the heritage movement -  a priceless investment in the future.

We took the next train as far as Carrog. It was hauled by resident GWR Manor Class 4-6-0 No. 7822 Foxcote Manor. Some of us could remember seeing her at the end of her time on BR; withdrawn from service, cold and neglected at Shrewsbury shed, on the 28th December 1965. This had obviously been our Twixmas treat 51 years ago.  

Withdrawn Mogul, Manors and Standard stand forlorn on Shrewsbury sheds, 28/12/1965.

The cosy cafe at Berwyn station beckoned and we ended the day doing what we do best these days - sitting around having a laugh over a nice cup of tea and a scone, whilst churning out the memories from the 55 years of friendship that have elapsed since we first all got together.

Our day out on the trains is coming to an end, and the rain has finally relented at Berwyn station. [Photo with thanks to Dave Beck]

[With our thanks to Gordon Heddon, Matt Jervis and Nicky Jenkinson, Administrator at the Llangollen Railway. The general public do not normally have access to the Boiler Shop at the Llangollen Railway and this was a special arrangement for Gala Day only. Llangollen shed tours must be made through the Llangollen Railway Office and will not normally include the Boiler Shop due to the nature of the work carried out in that area. I am very grateful to all those at the Llangollen Railway who helped to make our day out such a pleasant and rewarding experience.]