Big Boys Toys...

Being the generous soul that I am, I offered to let Anita and Diane have some "quality girl time" together but taking myself off to the Didcot Railway Centre, the home of the Great Western Society. As chance would have it, Diane's neighbour Eric is a Guard with the GWS so I went as his guest.

With the weekend being a Bank Holiday weekend, the GWS was putting on a special day to launch their recently completed restoration, Steam Railmotor No.93. Built in 1908, modified a couple of times during its life, condemned in 1956 and acquired by GWS in the early 1970's, the restoration project was a major effort that spanned 13 years. Starting as a derelict hulk, the finished result is magnificent.

GWR Steam Railmotor No.93

Using a theme for the weekend of 100 Years of the Self-Propelled Passenger Carrying Rail Vehicle, they also had their 1940 GWR Diesel Railcar No. 22 in service along with a 1960's class 121 "bubble-car" on loan from Chiltern Railways where it is still used in regular service. To complete the theme, they had their Great Western/British Rail (Western Region) Auto Train, featuring 0-4-2T locomotive 1466/4866 on static display along with a First Great Western class 165 Thames Turbo, built in the 1990s, and a brand new Chiltern Railways class 172 Turbostar.

Great Western/British Rail (Western Region) Auto Train

GWR Diesel Railcar No. 22

Chiltern Railways Class 121 Bubble-car

First Great Western Class 165 Thames Turbo

Chiltern Railways Class 172 Turbostar

With the emphasis of the day being on railmotors, the other amazing exhibits of the GWS were relegated to static display. This included Fire Fly, a replica Broad Gauge (7' 1/4") locomotive and carriages representing the original Great Western Railway of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was a great day out and I only got back to Radley five minutes before Anita and Diane who had gone out for afternoon tea in Dorchester-on-Thames.

GWR Broad Gauge Fire Fly

Some of GWS's other locomotives

It was a little disappointing not to see Fire Fly operating but that just means a return visit to Didcot on the next trip to England will be required.