The Marlow Donkey is 150

[Mike_Walker]

The Marlow Donkey reached the ripe old age of 150 today, the first Great Marlow Railway train having run between Great Marlow and Marlow Road (Bourne End) on 27th June 1873.

 

Great Western Railway held a party for the service at Bourne End this morning and unveiled 165122 which now has a commemorative plaque and which will be the "preferred" branch unit going forward.

 

  

 

The festivities caused some delays. This was actually the 10:59 departure from Marlow but the CIS doesn't update in real time hence the 11;59 being shown.

 

At Bourne End hospitality was laid on for guests.

 

Members of GWR and guests from the Marlow-Maidenhead Passengers' Association, Marlow & District Railway Society and the Windsor & Maidenhead Branch RCTS  pose for photos.  All the time the train was getting later and later...

 

Ruth Busby, GWR's People & Transformation Director welcomed guests.  She was standing in for MD Mark Hopwood who was gutted to be unable to attend due to having to attend a funeral.  In addition to being GWR MD and President of the MDRS Mark is particularly fond of the branch as he grew up in Marlow.  

 

 

Naturally a birthday cake was provided along with Croissants and drinks (non-alcoholic!) 

 

Who says the modern railway doesn't have a heart... ?

[Davexoc]

No commemorative booklet this time then?

 

 

I inherited this from the wife's late Uncle. Would probably cost nearer £20 now though....

1973 The Association borrowed Burton Agnes Hall, 6106 and a couple of Auto Coaches from the GWS and 1420 from the Dart Valley Light Railway. Must have been quite an event.

[Mike_Walker]

Sadly no, in fact we were lucky to get even this probably only because of Mark Hopwood's particular affection for the branch.

 

The 1973 event was indeed memorable - if only for the constant rain almost all day, not a good idea in retrospect to hold it on St Swithen's Day.  I'll dig out some of the photos in the MDRS collection of the event and post them later.

 

It was actually 1450 not 1420 that came to the rescue.  The original plan was to use Didcot's 1466 plus their trailers but a few days before the event BR inspected 1466 and failed it for some reason - I can't remember what exactly.  Today that would result in "That's it, mate, event cancelled" but BR were more flexible.  They called the DVR and arranged to borrow 1450 (at their expense) for the weekend.  It steamed up to Didcot on its own (no pilot diesel) on the Saturday/Sunday night and joined 6106, 6998 and the two trailers to continue to Maidenhead for the start of the action.  At the end, the convoy returned to Didcot and 1450 headed west.  At Bristol it met up with Flying Scotsman which was running from Derby to Paignton following its post-USA adventure and the pair ran overnight to Newton Abbot where they parted company.

 

You simply can't imagine this being done today but it was in simpler times.  Somewhere I have a copy of the BR special instructions for the day - a single typed sheet.  

 

The use of 1450 was particularly fortuitous as it had been a regular 'Donkey locomotive in the 1950s whereas 1466 spent all its working life in Devon.

 

Whilst there was no booklet this time, the current edition of the MDRS magazine, the Marlow Donkey, has been devoted to the branch.

Donkey 180 June 2023.pdf

[Rugd1022]

Well that's timely, I've just bought a couple of books on the Marlow branch! My other half's parents both lived in Maidenhead and used to ride the Marlow donkey frequently. 

[Mike_Walker]

Here are some images from the centenary event on 15 July 1973 from the Marlow & District Railway Society's collection.

 

1450 at Bourne End.  The milk tank provided a water supply for the locomotives.

 

1450 rounding the sharp curve into Bourne End from Marlow.

 

Between Marina Level Crossing and Marlow Viaduct.

 

Crossing Marlow Viaduct which is actually in Bourne End.

 

Approaching Spade Oak Level Crossing. 

 

Passing the former gravel pits near Marlow which once had their own 2' gauge railway.

 

6998 Burton Agnes Hall starts out of Bourne End with the Maidenhead train formed of 5 borrowed Mk1s...

 

... and tailed by 6106.

 

6106 leaving the cutting from Cookham and about to descend across Cock Marsh towards Bourne End.

 

6998 at the Rowbarrow footbridge between Bourne End and Cookham.

 

6998 cresting the climb out of Bourne End and about to descend towards Cookham, it's 1 in 83 both sides.

6998 approaching Cookham.

 

And arriving at Maidenhead.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by Mike_Walker

[Wickham Green too]

5 hours ago, Mike_Walker said:

...  It steamed up to Didcot on its own (no pilot diesel) ...

It would be a low-loader job nowadays !

[KingEdwardII]

7 hours ago, Mike_Walker said:

Here are some images from the centenary event

My goodness, 1450 and the 2 coaches really do look the part - all resplendent in GWR livery, fresh painted and extremely smart. A tribute to the triumphs of preservation!

 

Yours, Mike.

[KingEdwardII]

On 27/06/2023 at 14:55, Mike_Walker said:

165122 which now has a commemorative plaque

Given that the branch wends through Cookham, it's a shame they didn't think of including a painting by Stanley Spencer - or of one in his style. A most remarkable in habitant of that country while the branch was in its steam heyday.

 

Yours, Mike.

[VIA185]

Steam World, August, published on July 21 has a feature on the Maidenhead-High Wycombe line with Bourne End and Marlow receiving a little attention, too. (CJL)

 

[David Bigcheeseplant]

I am doing a talk on the early years of the Wycombe Railway this Thursday at Bourne End community centre. If anyone is interested in coming along. 
I have managed to obtain some original Wycombe Railway drawings of the stations just yesterday which have never been seen or published before so I will put these into the talk.

[VIA185]

My £2 souvenir of the Wycombe Railway preserved in Egham. (CJL)

[MisterT]

On 15/07/2023 at 07:08, David Bigcheeseplant said:

I am doing a talk on the early years of the Wycombe Railway this Thursday at Bourne End community centre. If anyone is interested in coming along.

Hi David - Is it this coming Thursday, 20th July? What time does it start? And is there an entrance charge? I just looked at the Bourne End Community Centre "What's On" and I couldn't see it listed there?

Thanks, Ed

 

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Starts at 7.30 I think it’s a couple of pounds entry

[Mike_Walker]

Yes, it's the monthly meeting of the Marlow & District Railway Society but everyone is most welcome to attend.  As David says, it starts at 7.30 and there is a £2 admission.  Having seen David's presentation before I can recommend it - it's a corker!

 

Next week, the Marlow Society's Local History Group are hosting a film show on both the Marlow branch and Wycombe Railway supported by a photographic display and personal reminiscences from enthusiast John Smith.  It's at the Liston Hall, Chapel Street, Marlow on Tuesday 25th again starting at 7.30.  Admission s £4.50.

[steve1]

Thanks Mike!

 

A few memories there for this ex-Maidenhead resident. I knew Mark Hopwood when he was a young member of Marlow, Maidenhead & District MRC. Always knew he’d do well.

 

steve

[David Bigcheeseplant]

I have added and revised parts of my talk since I did it last, There will be two parts the first and longer one on the line from Maidenhead to Wycombe and after a break the 1862-64 extensions to Thame, Oxford and Aylesbury.

David

[Mike_Walker]

20 minutes ago, steve1 said:

Thanks Mike!

 

A few memories there for this ex-Maidenhead resident. I knew Mark Hopwood when he was a young member of Marlow, Maidenhead & District MRC. Always knew he’d do well.

 

steve

Mark is also an enthusiastic member of the MDRS - he joined when he was about 13 and has been a member ever since becoming a very pro-active President a couple of years ago.  Like you, we knew he'd go far.  Chris Green told me that they knew they had someone special when he first joined the railway.  When he was still a young trainee I used my contacts to arrange for him to have a behind the scenes tour of the Long Island Rail Road and he managed to impress the management there too - asking them some very probing questions!