The Bodmin & Wenford Railway
With the much awaited return of GWR 2-6-2T Prairie No. 5552 at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway after a lengthy overhaul, this film depicts her hard at work on the tortuous gradients of the Bodmin line between 2005 & 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya7jyhWRrM8
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway Diesel Gala 2019 - held over 14th / 15th September 2019 featured the first ever visit of a Railfreight liveried Class 26 to Cornwall in the form of the doyen of the class, the former D5300 / 26007, as well as resident Class 37/0 37142, Class 47/3 47306 The Sapper, Class 50 50042 Triumph and ex Chiltern Railways Class 121 DMU 121020 (ex W55020). ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pykESpLJNjM
With Ben Warren driving Class 50 50042 Triumph, we enjoy a cab ride from Bodmin Parkway to Bodmin General on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway working the 1400 Bodmin Parkway - Bodmin General DEC on 13th October 2018. Listen to that 16 cylinder English Electric 16CSVT power plant! Mega!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OOpN_vpYic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OOpN_vpYic
"English Electric Day" on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 5th May 2018 featured the line's resident Class 37/0 37142, the first Class 37 to venture into Cornwall, and Class 50 50042 Triumph, wearing BR Large Logo livery with trademark Laira black roof. A credit to the Bodmin & Wenford and hopefully the success of this diesel gala will see further diesel days along the same lines! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM0Nq6f1Mzk
All the action from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway 2017 Diesel Gala which featured the first ever visit of a Class 57 to the line, in the form of GWR Class 57/6 57604 Pendennis Castle, as well as residents Class 33/1 33110, Class 37/0 37142 and Class 50 50042 Triumph. Here's hoping that the railway will hire in the Class 17 Clayton or a diesel-hydraulic for a future gala! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUmCB5M2DwM
The highlight of the annual Bodmin & Wenford Railway Diesel Gala on 16th September 2017 was the loan of Class 57/6 57604 Pendennis Castle by Great Western Railway. Rebuilt from Class 47/0 47209 (ex D1859), we hear 57604s two stroke General Motors GM645 V12 engine working hard as she tackles the line's challenging 1 in 37 gradients, top n' tailing with the BWR's resident Class 33/1 33110, Class 37/0 37142 and Class 50 50042 Triumph. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__W_cnj5I_A
Class 50 50042 Triumph is seen working hard over the tortous 1 in 37 gradients of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 2nd September 2017, vividly evoking memories of when these English Electric Type 4s worked local passenger workings on the Falmouth and Newquay branches during the 1970s and 1980s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F4mYCMKS0w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F4mYCMKS0w
Class 50 50042 Triumph was withdrawn in October 1990, and was purchased for preservation, arriving on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in March 1992. The only working preserved Class 50 in a 200 mile radius, Triumph has now been based on the Bodmin & Wenford for a quarter of a century, and we see the former D442 hard at work on both the Boscarne Junction and Bodmin General branches during a BWR Class 50 running day on 6th August 2017, where the English Electric Type 4 tackles the line's challenging 1 in 37 gradients with ease! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15MipYjBL0Q
Part II of Tornado's iconic visit to the Bodmin & Wenford! LNER Class A1 Peppercorn Pacific 60163 Tornado banked by GWR 46xx 0-6-0PT 4612 is seen hard at work climbing the tortous 1 in 37 gradients of the Bodmin General branch on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway during its historic visit on 4th June 2017.
Making its historic first ever visit to the Royal Duchy, LNER Class A1 Peppercorn Pacific 60163 Tornado is seen during its first ever visit to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 3rd June 2017, and in doing so, becoming the largest and heaviest locomotive (at 164 tons) ever to work over the 3 mile former GWR Bodmin General branch line.
An unsung workhorse of Tornado's visit to the Bodmin & Wenford recently was GWR 46xx 0-6-0PT Pannier Tank 4612, which banked the LNER Class A1 Peppercorn Pacific up the line's tortous 1 in 37 gradients, and here we see 4612 in action between Bodmin General and Bodmin Parkway hauling 60163 Tornado over the 3rd / 4th June 2017.
Driven by Brian Aston with Secondman Paul Deacon, Sulzer Type 3 Class 33/1 33110 is seen in action on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 23rd April 2017, giving a particularly rousing performance from her 8 cylinder Sulzer engine as she leaves Boscarne Junction. It gives an impression of what the Southern's 'Withered Arm' network of lines could have looked like had the lines to Padstow and Wadebridge remained open. I have often thought, with a push-pull fitted Class 33, wouldn't it be wonderful if a SR 4TC or SR EMU like a 4VEP / 4CIG / 4CEP unit could find a home on the Bodmin & Wenford to work with their 33 and 50? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDSuL8uAl3I
GWR 46xx 0-6-0PT Pannier Tank 4612 is seen in action on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway with the 'Cornish Belle' cream tea train on 23rd April 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba8uWXyIizg
Recalling the later victorian era of the LSWR in Cornwall, we see a review of the Victorian Gala Day on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on Sunday 9th October 2016 which featured LSWR T9 Greyhound 4-4-0 30120 and LSWR Class 0498 Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT 30587, together with GWR Victorian Special Saloon No. 9044 and BR (WR) auto trailer W232. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh6JqOtookk
GWR 46xx 0-6-0PT Pannier Tank 4612 is seen at work on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 6th October 2016. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py1O_bLbSGs
The annual Bodmin & Wenford Railway Diesel Gala is always eagerly anticipated - and the 2016 Gala did not disappoint with visiting Colas Class 56 56078, as well as resident Class 33/1 33110, Class 37/0 37142, Class 50 50042 Triumph, Class 08 08444 and the highlight for many, ex ECC Burngullow shunter Sentinel / Rolls-Royce engined 0-4-0DM P403D Denise, which was in action on brake van rides. www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3RFPMf21xo
Colas Class 56 56078 visited the Bodmin & Wenford Railway for their annual 2016 diesel gala on 24th September 2016, and we see the 56 in action with 33110, 37142 & 50042 Triumph. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsymuqw4fV0
50042 Triumph is seen in action on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway during a normal mixed running day on Sunday 18th September 2016. We see Triumph in action tackling the testing 1 in 37 gradients on the Bodmin Parkway and Boscarne Junction branches. Lovely bit of power on the climb away from Colesloggett Halt and Westheath - many thanks to the BWR driver! www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tCJoxqme1g
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is a twin branch line railway that runs for 7 miles from Bodmin Parkway to Bodmin General in Cornwall. Running through the glorious cornish countryside, the heyday of West Country branch services is recreated during one of the line's regular 'Branch Line' days when we see GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6435 auto-pannier with BR (WR) Auto-Trailer W232W and GWR 56xx 0-6-2T South Wales Coal Tank 5619.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxFIDen1B_s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxFIDen1B_s
Following repairs, Class 50 50042 Triumph was double-headed with 37142 on the 1620 from Bodmin Parkway on the Bodmin & Wenford. With both under power, the driver having over 4400hp at his disposal, the noise on load four as the pair climb away from Colesloggett Halt was awesome! www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H5Ifdwmtts
BR General liveried Class 33/1 33110 is seen in action on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, working a variety of goods / freight and passenger services during the recent Mixed Traction Gala on 30th May 2016. Interesting to speculate whether Class 33s would have been seen over the former Southern routes in Cornwall and North Devon, perhaps working through Waterloo to Padstow, Wadebridge, Bude and Ilfracombe had these lines survived the Beeching cuts. Nice to see a Sulzer Type 3 hard at work though on both the Boscarne & Bodmin Parkway branches. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcdvx6M_6H0
Class 50 50042 Triumph is seen in action on her home line of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in Cornwall on 29th May 2016, working a traditional cornish pick-up goods. 50042 has been repainted in Large Logo livery complete with Laira Depot black roof embellishment, and illustrates a time when 50s could be seen working humble (and sometimes very short!) freights in the Royal Duchy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkivDCiod4o
A film showing The Bodmin & Wenford Mixed Traction Gala that was held over 28th -30th May 2016, and which
featured GWR 56xx 0-6-2T 5619, Class 33/1 33110 and Class 50 50042 Triumph working both goods & passenger
workings on both the Boscarne & Bodmin Parkway branches. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDevOrEo44s
featured GWR 56xx 0-6-2T 5619, Class 33/1 33110 and Class 50 50042 Triumph working both goods & passenger
workings on both the Boscarne & Bodmin Parkway branches. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDevOrEo44s
On 24th April 2016, English Electric Type 3 / Class 37 37142, historically the first Class 37 to venture into Cornwall in 1980 when they replaced the Class 25s in the Royal Duchy, is seen at work during a running day on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in Cornwall, on both the Bodmin General & Boscarne branches. Sounding and looking wonderful! www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3HCRJ6gkcg
In what could have been commonplace had the Southern's Withered Arm network of lines to Wadebridge and
Padstow continued into the diesel era, we enjoy a cab ride in Push-Pull Class 33/1 33110 as we head from Bodmin
General to Bodmin Parkway on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 6th May 2014. Enjoy the Sulzer Type 3 magic and Classic Traction would like to express its thanks to Chris Hart (General Manager) and the Bodmin & Wenford for
allowing filming to take place. www.youtube.com/watch?v=htfB3WCen6M
Padstow continued into the diesel era, we enjoy a cab ride in Push-Pull Class 33/1 33110 as we head from Bodmin
General to Bodmin Parkway on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 6th May 2014. Enjoy the Sulzer Type 3 magic and Classic Traction would like to express its thanks to Chris Hart (General Manager) and the Bodmin & Wenford for
allowing filming to take place. www.youtube.com/watch?v=htfB3WCen6M
In May 2014, SR 'West Country' 7P5F 4-6-2 34007 Wadebridge visited the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. During a photo charter organised by Don Bishop, we enjoy a ride behind 'Wadebridge' from Bodmin General down the Boscarne Junction line on a beautiful crisp May morning evoking memories of the North Cornwall line which closed on 3rd October 1966. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnPi0w3Xr10
Filmed during a photo charter, we enjoy a train ride behind SR 'West Country' 7P5F 4-6-2 34007 Wadebridge climbing 1 in 37 gradients on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway from Colesloggett Halt to Bodmin General on 6th May 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAlmtdZ3wJg
Almost certainly the first GWR 'Manor' to visit the Bodmin General and Boscarne Junction branches, 7812 Erlestoke Manor (visiting from the Severn Valley Railway) is seen tackling the Bodmin & Wenford Railway's tortous 1 in 37 gradients during a visit to the line between 6th-8th September 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UoN681qC5U
Filmed from the cab of Class 50 50042 Triumph, we enjoy a cab ride from Bodmin General to Colesloggett Halt on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 25th June 2011. With thanks to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway and filmed with full permission of the crew and General Manager. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiIQprReDWo
Filmed from the cab of Class 50 50042 Triumph, we enjoy a cab ride from Colesloggett Halt to Bodmin Parkway on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 25th June 2011. With thanks to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway and filmed with full permission of the crew and General Manager. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21gSChtJ9GE
Filmed from the cab of Class 50 50042 Triumph, we enjoy a cab ride from Bodmin Parkway to Colesloggett Halt on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 25th June 2011. Classic Traction TV would like to express their thanks to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway and filmed with full permission of the crew and General Manager, Chris Hart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1R3agvTKnE
Filmed just after she emerged ex-works in BR Black, we see one of the oldest working Great Western engines in preservation - GWR 42xx 2-8-0T 4247, which dates from 1916. A former St Blazey china clay engine (based there 1955-1957), she is seen hard at work on the Bodmin Road and Boscarne Junction branches of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in the post-Christmas steamings in December 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xd4xIGLPTk
Something we are unlikely to ever see steam again! In September 2011, GWR 37xx 'City' 4-4-0 3717 City of Truro returned to Cornwall for the final time for a visit to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Sadly, this was to be her final workings prior to withdrawal for permenant display at the National Railway Museum in York.
https://youtu.be/h-9riWJfv1Y
https://youtu.be/h-9riWJfv1Y
In a wonderful North Cornwall combination, LSWR Beattie Well Tank 2-4-0WT 30587 + LSWR T9 Greyhound 4-4-0 30120 climb Colesloggett Bank on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 10th April 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7YzQ0LW9MM
GWR 55xx 2-6-2T Prairie 5552 is seen in action on the 3 mile Boscarne Junction branch on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in Cornwall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86DhhzPWqLM
LSWR T9 Greyhound 4-4-0 30120 banked by GWR 64xx 0-6-0PT 6435 as they head a six coach Santa by Steam / Cornish Belle formation on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway on 18th December 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_aLlu6znHA
A Class 37 cab ride on a DMU drag! Filmed on 22nd September 2007, we enjoy a cab ride in Class 37/0 37142 hauling a Class 108 DMU on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway as we journey from Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction, and up to the bufferstops, currently the limit of the line towards Wadebridge. Classic Traction would like to thank Roger Webster (General Manager) and the staff of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway for allowing filming to take place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-NHSYk6iP8
The highlight of the 2006 Bodmin & Wenford Railway Diesel Gala on 16th / 17th September 2006 was the unveiling of ex-works Class 50 50042 Triumph, resplendent in BR Rail Blue, but wearing the identity of long scrapped sister 50006 Neptune. Built by English Electric at Newton-le-Willows on Merseyside in April 1968, she was named 'Neptune' in September 1979, and was the second Class 50 to be withdrawn in July 1987, being cut-up by Vic Berry at Leicester the following March, incredibly almost 30 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhgy_XFcSjg
A review of the 2006 Bodmin & Wenford Railway Diesel Gala on 16th / 17th September 2006 which featured the unveiling of Class 50 50042 as long scrapped classmate 50006 Neptune, Class 37 37142, Class 33/1 33110 and Class 20 20166 River Fowey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyYnFDzAKqU
One from the archives! In 2006, BR (WR) 41xx 2-6-2T Large Prairie 4160 visited the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, and in this film we enjoy a train ride behind 4160 as she climbs from Bodmin Parkway towards Bodmin General on 2nd September 2006. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNtZ2cLUg7s
More volcanic displays from GWR Pannier Tank 4612 on the Bodmin & Wenford! 4612 was built at Swindon in February 1942, and was initially used on wartime shunting and trip work from Bristol St Phillips Marsh, finishing her career in July 1965, when she was withdrawn from Cardiff East Dock. Today she has swapped the Welsh Valleys for those of Cornwall, and we see 4612 as she tackles the 1 in 37 gradients of the Boscarne Junction and Bodmin General branches during the post Christmass Winter steam-up on 27th December 2005. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8CV1NIt-SM
Giving an almost volcanic performance in the freezing winter conditions, GWR 46xx 0-6-0PT Pannier Tank 4612 is seen tackling the tortous gradients of the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, with some gradients as severe as 1 in 37, during the annual post-Christmass steamings on 26th December 2005. I always felt this was the best time to photograph the Bodmin line, and its incredible to think this was filmed almost 12 years ago! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jow_vg4EiA
D1048 Western Lady was resident on the embryonic Bodmin & Wenford Railway from July 1988 to the summer of 1991. Arriving on the line from Horwich Works, she had for many years been preserved at Steamport, Southport, and having been exhibited at the 1988 Laira Openday, arrived on the line in July 1988. Shortly after arrival, we see her at Bodmin General in BR Green livery, before being later moved to Bodmin Parkway Exchange Sidings, where she was gradually being repainted (with red primer) in April 1991. Later she was privately purchased and is today resident at the Midland Railway Centre, but what a shame this 'Western' couldn't have been restored in her native Cornwall. Just picture D1048 with a rake of China Clay 'Hoods' leaving Boscarne Junction!.... To dream! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrFfH19lqys