An entertaining day spent at this rarely visited local preservation spot.Four locomotives in action albeit on an extreemly dull day.(Needing 800 and 1000ASA camera settings!)
Final shot of the day was of 4270 the ex-GWR Heavy Freight 2-8-0T shortly after it had departed Oldland Common with its demonstration goods train.Shot from the West St Bridge in Oldland.This is pretty much the only 'lookdown' shot on the entire railway.Again 1000ASA was necessary!
..18 october 2014..
47406 makes its way towards Oldland Common having just come under the West St Bridge.By now the time was approaching 16:00 an due to the increasingly dull conditions the need was for 1000ASA camera settings.
..18 october 2014..
L150 (5521) arrives at Oldland Common with a train from Avon-Riverside.Somewhat confusingly a few rays of unexpected sun were in evidence.Unfortunatly it was straight down the track so was basically a bit of an inconvenience!
..18 october 2014..
Ex-WD WSR No-15 is seen approaching the Oldland Common School Foot Crossing shortly after departing Bitton.
..18 october 2014..
GWR 5521 running as L150 is paired with the WPR No-15 J94 saddle tank as it prepares to depart Bitton towards Avon-Riverside.
..18 october 2014..
47406 replicates a scene that was so common in the 1950's.That being the local 'Pick-up' Goods.Here in a very moody avenue of bushes and trees the ex-LMS Jinty looks completely at home doing the job it was built for.
..18 october 2014..
J94 type 0-6-0 SaddleTank running as Number 15 'Earl David' of the Wemyss Private Railway powers through the woods on the approach to Oldland Common. Several shots here were ruined by getting 1/2 a cyclist in the bottom of shots.This being a very busy cycle way.Luckily it was OK for this one!
..18 october 2014..
Ex LMS 47406 was a type that was probably quite common passing through this station here at Bitton when it was still the Mainline to Bath from Gloucester and the Midlands.Here the recently restored engine which owes its existence to ending up in Woodhams Yard at Barry moves away from Bitton going to Oldland Common with just three Mk-1 coaches.
..18 october 2014..
Ex WD 71529 J94 type from 1943 gets away from Bitton with a lengthy mixed Freight.This engine currently wears the colours of the the Wemyss Private Railway as number-15 'Earl David' having worked for that line prior to retirement.This is the 2nd oldest example of the Class preserved which were still being constructed as late as 1964.
..18 october 2014..
London-Transport liveried L150 or if you prefer GWR 5521 gets away from Bitton past the throat of the yard there heading for Oldland Common.This engine operates regularly on the mainline(LT) in and around London under the care of London-Transport.Of coarse this type of ex-GWR loco never actually ran for LT but a fair number of Pannier Type Tanks did.
..18 october 2014..
Not in use today was 07010.This 0-6-0 shunter was built in 1962 as part of a class of 14 units to replace steam (USA Class- Tanks) on Southampton Docks.However the need for these was gone virtually by 1977 and the entire class was retired by BR.However 7 out of the class total of 14 have made it into preservation.This fully operational example was once on the West Somerset Railway but is now based here at Bitton. Its superb restoration is a credit to the Railway Staff.
..18 october 2014..
BR liveried 47406 brings the Demo Freight into Bitton from Oldland Common past the stock sidings there.
..18 october 2014..
Photography at this Gala today was certainly a bit of a challenge.Even static shots such as this required 400th at F5.6 using the 800ASA setting.Back in the 'good old days' with Sensia-100 loaded into my old Olympus OM-1 most shots taken today would have been nigh on impossible! So here is the recently restored GWR-4270 a 2-8-0 Heavy Goods Welsh Tank standing in Bitton Station having just arrived from Avon-Riverside.Next stop would be Oldland Common. This set up here at Bitton is very pleasant with an excellent Cafe' and very friendly staff.
..18 october 2014..
GWR 4270 is seen approaching Bitton Station from the Bath direction during the Autumn Gala.This recently restored engine had been out of use since it was withdrawn in 1962. Finally making its return to steam this year (2014).An amazing 52 years in between. Interestingly this particular engine still retains its inside steam pipe layout to the outside cylinders and the square plating around them.A very original engine and a quality rebuild.