South Devon Railway
Looking supreme in BR Green, memories of Southern Region 'Cromptons' working in Devon are rekindled as the oldest surviving Class 33, D6501 Sea King (33002) is seen hard at work on the South Devon Railway on 20th October 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eALcqT8_GpA
Among the beautiful autumnal colours, GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542 is seen hard at work on the South Devon Railway on 20th October 2018. It is incredible to think that the basic design of the Churchward Prairie tank is now 113 years old, with the original prototype Prairie, No. 115, which would later become 4400, being built at Swindon in 1905. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWrwK41bnW0
The South Devon Railway Diesel Gala 2017 is always one of the highlights of the autumn diesel gala season, and here we see the now unique Paxman engined Class 17 Clayton D8568 hard at work alongside resident Class 33/0 D6501 Sea King (with newly adorned half yellow warning panels) and Class 37/0 6975 (37275). Watch to the end for some enthusiastic English Electric thrash (thanks to the driver!!) from 6975 at Bishops Bridge! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb0RvMNMACY
PART 2! Filmed on Saturday 4th November 2017, the South Devon Railway Diesel Gala 2017 is always one of the highlights of the autumn diesel gala season, and here we see the now unique Paxman engined Class 17 Clayton D8568 hard at work alongside resident Class 33/0 D6501 Sea King (with newly adorned half yellow warning panels) and Class 37/0 6975 (37275). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucX4Vf2z0_U
PART 3! Filmed on Saturday 4th November 2017, the South Devon Railway Diesel Gala 2017 is always one of the highlights of the autumn diesel gala season, and here we see the now unique Paxman engined Class 17 Clayton D8568 hard at work alongside visiting Class 08 08644 from Laira Depot (courtesy of GWR / Laira Depot) resident Class 33/0 D6501 Sea King (with newly adorned half yellow warning panels) and Class 37/0 6975 (37275). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPmfV3gm_C4
The first ever visit of a Class 17 Clayton to the South Devon Railway, as we see the now unique D8568 as she works a series of 'Driver Experience Courses' on the former Ashburton line on 15th October 2017. Certainly the furthest west a Clayton has come, it would be interesting to know how far south they came in BR days! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mgqEIcDcD0
PART 2! The sole surviving Class 17 Clayton D8568 is seen in action on the South Devon Railway during a 'Driver Experience Course' on 15th October 2017. The Class 17s were intended as BR's Standard Type 1 design, and were fitted with two 6 cylinder 450hp Paxman 6ZHXL engines, but they were such a ill-fated and unreliable design that BR subsequently adopted the English Electric Type 1 (Class 20) as the standard Type 1 design. Introduced in September 1962, the class only survived 9 years in BR traffic, with all being withdrawn by 1971. Always a Scottish Region locomotive, D8568 was new to Millerhill (64B) in January 1964 and withdrawn from Polmadie (66A) in October 1971, spending just 7 years in BR service. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv-NJx0oy7E
Filmed during a special photo charter on 30th May 2017, GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542 is seen with GWR auto trailers No. 233 & W228 at locations including Kilbury, Woodville and Ashburton Junction, so perfectly recreating a Great Western branch line during the late 1940s and early 1950s during the early years of Nationalisation during the GWR / BR (WR) transition when GWR & BR Maroon auto trailers with GWR branded Prairies would have been quite common.
In this film we take a ride in a traditional GWR Auto Train hauled by GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542 as we travel along the former Ashburton Branch on the South Devon Railway from Buckfastleigh to Bishops Bridge Loop on 30th May 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e8IANZF1Ko
Filmed from the cab of GWR auto trailer No. 233, we enjoy a cab ride between Ashburton Junction (Totnes) and Staverton propelled by GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542 with a return Totnes - Buckfastleigh auto working on 30th May 2017.
The highlights of the South Devon Railway Easter Mixed Traction Gala on 16th April 2017 which included GWR Collett Dock Tank '1366' 0-6-0PT 1369, which will shortly be withdrawn for overhaul, GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542 and GWR autotrailer W233, Class 09 D3721 and Class 37/0 D6975 / 37275. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEBIVVlbtcg
The South Devon Railway Winter Steam Gala (Part I) featuring visiting LSWR Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT 30587 (from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway) and GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542, as well as resident GWR Collett '2251' 0-6-0 3205, GWR 13xx 0-6-0PT 1369 & GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKjwH6ENfnE
All the action from the South Devon Railway Winter Steam Gala on 12th February 2017, which included the visit of LSWR Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT 30587, as well as GWR 13xx 0-6-0PT 1369, GWR '2251' 0-6-0 3205 and GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqF4rQuf1IY
Part 3 - All the action from the South Devon Railway Winter Steam Gala on 13th February 2017, which included the visit of LSWR Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT 30587, as well as GWR 13xx 0-6-0PT 1369 and GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn2fVp112MA
Part IV of the South Devon Railway Winter Steam Gala - 16th February 2017. Included is visiting LSWR Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT 30587, GWR Collett '2251' 0-6-0 3205 and GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412 with two GWR Hawksworth trailers - No. 233 & W228. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg7F5l1T-Ao
The South Devon Railway Winter Steam Gala: Part V which included LSWR Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT 30587, GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542, GWR Collett 2251 0-6-0 3205, GWR 1366 0-6-0PT 1369 and GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412.
Filmed on Sunday 19th February 2017, the final installment from the South Devon Railway Winter Steam Gala: Part VI - sees LSWR Beattie Well Tank 30587 in action with GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412 and GWR auto trailer No. 233, as well as GWR Collett '2251' 0-6-0 'Baby Castle' 3205 and Collett 1366 Dock Tank 1369, making one of her final appearances before withdrawal for overhaul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0M-k4O6udQ
The South Devon Railway Autumn Diesel Gala is one of the 'must see' events of the year, and 2016 was no different! Featuring Class 24 5081, which was visiting from the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire, the gala also featured Class 04 D2246, Class 09 D3721, Class 25 D7612, Class 33 D6501 and Class 37/0 6975. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXIsGXvsq0U
The 2016 South Devon Railway Diesel Gala saw the first ever visit of a Class 24 to the former Ashburton branch, in the form of Sulzer Type 2 5081 (24081) from the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway and we see her in action on the branch during the gala on 5th November 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjnCBr3Rz8E
A review of the South Devon Railway's annual 'Rails & Ales' event which included Class 37/0 D6975, Class 25 D7612 (25262), Class 33/0 D6501 (33002) and GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6412. Filmed on Saturday 27th August 2016, this particular day featured a wealth of classic diesel traction on the former Ashburton branch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOmqmZtz5ek
One of preservations much missed locomotives, and one of only two GWR 'Double Frame' 4-4-0s, is GWR 90xx 'Dukedog' 9017 Earl of Berkeley, parts of which date back to 1895. In April 2011 she visited the South Devon Railway from her home on the Bluebell for the South Devon's Cambrian themed gala, and we see 9017 as she recreates a 1950s scene with a typical Cambrian milk train during a Don Bishop / Steam Recreations photo charter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RE1DaSAGHQ
A footplate ride on GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5526 from Buckfastleigh to Staverton on the South Devon Railway. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oerSzQe_MWE
In Part II, we continue our footplate ride on GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5526 from Staverton to Totnes on the South Devon Railway on 6th April 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KajwYpTWZCU
A visit to the South Devon Railway on 9th September 2006 and we see GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5542, GWR 38xx 2-8-0 3803, GWR 57xx Pannier 5786 and Class 37/3 37321 Loch Treig in action. Interesting to see the changes in 10 years! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx0FmVOCbfg