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Bristol Bath Road 1970? Open Day


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I remember going a open day at Bristol Bath Road depot in 1970 (I think) and trying find out what was on display or stabled there.  I remember walking under GWR 2818 and being amazed as it was my first close up of a steam loco and seeing NBL Class 22's.  Also, I remember seeing (again) 827 Kelly stabled on there as it passed us on a fast train at Yatton while my father and I waited for a train to Bristol.

 

If anyone has details, I would be most grateful.

 

Julian Sprott

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I remember going and IIRC 53808 and Dart Valley's 4555 were there. I've got 814 and several other WR locos underlined, yes still got my shed books. This was our only venture onto the Western Region so all would have been 17/10/70.

On the journey home the train was taken over by football fans at BNS, Chesterfield fans going home after a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in the old third division. They came in our compartment and removed the light bulbs, which they then proceeded to throw out of the window! After urinating on the seats and going through our bags they left us alone with no harm done, my biggest concern was my combined volume following the light bulbs. What a relief when the Peak hauled trained slowed for our Burton stop.

 

Cheers

 

Brendan

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According to the Railway Observer of December 1970 page 409.

 

The open day took place on 17th October.

 

Steam locos included 53808, 4555, 2818

 

11 Classes of diesels on display included, 03, 08, 22, 31, 35, 37, 42, 45, 46, 47 , 52

and one electric E3044.

 

Sorry it did not list the Diesels numbers

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I remember going and IIRC 53808 and Dart Valley's 4555 were there. I've got 814 and several other WR locos underlined, yes still got my shed books. This was our only venture onto the Western Region so all would have been 17/10/70.

On the journey home the train was taken over by football fans at BNS, Chesterfield fans going home after a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in the old third division. They came in our compartment and removed the light bulbs, which they then proceeded to throw out of the window! After urinating on the seats and going through our bags they left us alone with no harm done, my biggest concern was my combined volume following the light bulbs. What a relief when the Peak hauled trained slowed for our Burton stop.

 

Cheers

 

Brendan

Ah yes, how trains in the 70s were enlivened by the presence of our cousins in the football fraternity. And how many similar tales could I tell....

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I have just borrowed a bound set of Railway Magazines for 1971 and the January issue has three photos of the open day taken by, respectively, Ivo Peters, Stanley Creer and Grenville R. Hounsell. Apart from 814, it's not possible to identify any of the diesel locos in the pictures here's not much information additional to what has already been provided above, except to say that 53808 was en route from Barry to Radstock. Part of a blue Pullman set is just visible in one of the pictures.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have just discovered my notes for this time period and 17/10/70 has the following locos noted-

 

D1937   D7053   D2136   D6327   D2121   D6603   D6989   D7000   D19   D15   D6885   D84   D7019   D1724   D1062   D6308   D5530   D7009   D1673   D149   D869   D1929   D1008   PWM650

D6327   D7001   D146   D138   D7072   D1018   D1007   D3255   D7025   D6975   D6988

 

The notes only state Bristol Temple Meads/Bath Road so would include locos on service trains and on depot that day.

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I have just discovered my notes for this time period and 17/10/70 has the following locos noted-

 

D1937   D7053   D2136   D6327   D2121   D6603   D6989   D7000   D19   D15   D6885   D84   D7019   D1724   D1062   D6308   D5530   D7009   D1673   D149   D869   D1929   D1008   PWM650

D6327   D7001   D146   D138   D7072   D1018   D1007   D3255   D7025   D6975   D6988

 

The notes only state Bristol Temple Meads/Bath Road so would include locos on service trains and on depot that day.

 

No 814?

 

D6603+D6989 passed through on a fly-ash train

http://railphotoprints.uk/p789775444/h1deaf843#h1deaf843

 

D6308 was inside the fuelling shed

http://railphotoprints.uk/p737470212/h16130932#h16130932

 

Here's D6349 in the depot environs somewhere.

8250812562_ab3901a969_h.jpgD6349 North British Type 2 B-B Class 22, Bristol Bath Road Motive Power Depot, Bristol, 17 October 1970 by Kev Slade, on Flickr

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I remember this day well, one of my early forays onto the W.R. from the northwest as a teenager.

 

Whilst it was fun I do remember being a bit disappointed that more locos weren't present, certainly less than on my first shed bash here six months earlier. Compensation came from a quick trip over to Cardiff where Canton was positively stacked with Hymeks and others, the shed foreman was even kind enough to allow us to wander round! En route there was lots to see around Newport, with Ebbw Jn. shed quite full, and lots more at STJ including two or three Warships.

 

No wonder we got hooked into this hobby!

 

John.

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