With over 160 members, shareholders and invited guests (that included some of the team working on fellow Merchant Navy Pacific 35011 General Steam Navigation that us currently being restored uniquely to original air smoothed condition complete with Bulleid’s chain driven valve gear) board, many enjoying picnics, we had the entire wonderfully scenic Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway to ourselves. 35006 hauled a complete round trip from Toddington – Cheltenham Racecourse – Broadway – Toddington, with its splendid views of the Cotswolds and the Malvern Hills, in the warm evening sunshine.
Posts Tagged ‘35006 Locomotive Society’
A hot 35006 P&O S.N.Co Shareholders and Members day run on @GWSR 17th July #BulleidBrilliance
Posted in 35006, tagged 35006 Locomotive Society, 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co, Bulleid, Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacifics, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region on July 18, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Picture of the Month – July 2020
Posted in 35006, Picture of the Month, tagged 35006 Locomotive Society, Bulleid, Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, Southern, Southern Railway on July 1, 2020| 1 Comment »
This months picture…

A change to the norm for picture of the month, one of my own favourites of 35006 Peninsular and Oriental S.N Co about to run around her train at Cheltenham Racecourse Station, taken at the annual 35006 Locomotive Society members and shareholders day, usually held in July.
More information about how you can support the 35006 Locomotive Society can be found here.
PS. Happy we got rid American Independence Day to my USA readers on the 4th, a date that is overshadowed by my own birthday…
Reflections on 35006 P&O S.N.Co Shareholders and Members day run (and cab ride) on @GWSR 13th July #BulleidBrilliance
Posted in 35006, tagged 35006 Locomotive Society, 35006 P&O, 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co, Bulleid, Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacifics, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway, No.6, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region on July 14, 2019| 3 Comments »
Yesterday evening, 13th July, saw the annual members day event with a dedicated special train purely for members and shareholders of the 35006 Society. It was a chance to ride behind 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co on a private train after No.6 had been in service on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway during the day.
I was also fortunate as Shareholder to have the chance of a ride in the cab, see video below, for the part of the trip.
She certainly looked splendid and powerful in the evening light with the wonderful patina of having worked service trains during the day. Once coaled and coupled to the members train she ran non stop to Cheltenham racecourse station. Having run around she took the train tender first, again back past Toddington to the wonderfully recreated, Broadway station.
I was lucky enough to ride in the cab between Toddington and Braodway. The evening ended as the sun set returning to Toddington. The 14 miles end to end gives a nice 28 mile round trip, and a couple of nice gradients thrown into the mix, with some great views across the Cotswolds.
I was able to take a few pictures from the cab, getting a few reflections in the glass and tender sides (as we were running tender first for that part of the journey) hence the title pun of this post.
It also gave the chance to experience the views from the impressive Stanway Viaduct, just to the North of Toddington, this viaduct is approximately 210 yards long, crosses the valley at its highest point at just over 50 feet and each of the 15 spans are 36 feet. It is on a gentle 1 in 150 gradient heading north and on a gentle 80 chain curve.
The reputation for Bulleids to make steam was certainly evident with a low fire of good quality welsh steam coal, steam pressure was easily maintained, as it never dropped below 235 psi for the duration of my cab ride, despite the relatively full train, of members and shareholders, made up of eight BR Mark One coaches.
The safety valves were just feathering for most of the trip despite the fireman keeping topping up the boiler to its near full limit. The ride was very smooth, albeit at an average of around 25mph showing on the speedometer, on the still pretty new excellent permanent way to Broadway
It was certainly a great evening, including the cab ride as well, enjoying a picnic on board with my Mum and Dad. No.6 looked great as always and was running superbly and a credit to the 35006 Locomotive Society and the running staff of the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Steam Railway
It was also great to be able to get up close to 35006 and hopefully some of the pictures illustrating this post shows the impressiveness of her and also the impressive level of restoration and continued maintenance that has gone into this complex piece of engineering Bulleid Brilliance (with a little bit of Jarvis thrown in, I will concede).
See my page here on how you can help keep, in any small way, No.6 up and running.
Bulleid Merchant Navy update, including 35028, 35006 and 35018 #bulleidbrillance good, not so good and possibly ugly… [update 24/05/17]
Posted in 35006, tagged 35006 Locomotive Society, 35006 P&O, 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co, 35018 British India Line, 35028 Clan Line, Bulleid, Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway, Merchant Navy Locomotive Society, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region, West Coast Railways on May 19, 2017| 6 Comments »
Further to my update of 8th May here regarding Bulleid Merchant Navy pacific 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co and her steaming plans for this month, things change quickly, 35006 was additionally steamed and running services on 16/17/18th May, but now a problem with a repair carried out to P&O in the early days has caused 35006 to be stopped until a new repair can be carried out. The 35006 Locomotive Society will be starting the repair tomorrow, which will most likely require a new machined part and specialist welding, 35006 will not now be running on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway’s (GWRS) this weekend nor during next week. As always for the very latest information on loco rostering check the GWSR website here
[Update 24/05/17] Good news 35006 was steam tested again yesterday after a couple of repairs and will be available for the GWSR gala this weekend. The original problem was that there was a significant steam leak around the rear relief valve on the right hand cylinder, but whilst testing our other repairs it was found that the Right Hand Mechanical lubricator was not working. With assistance from GWSR staff this has also been repaired.
Better news on the Bulleid Merchant Navy front is that yesterday, 18/05/17 saw the light load test runs of both 35028 Clan line, returning to the main line after a major overhaul by the excellent owners the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society; and also 35018 British India Line, privately owned by Dave Smith of West Coast Railways steaming on the main line in preservation for the first time since she went of of British Railways service in August 1964. 35018 is notable being the first of the Merchant Navy Class to have been rebuilt in February 1955 and still carried a few of the unique features, such as the front sand box position, due to be being the first of the class so rebuilt. I am led to believe that 35018 did have a slight issue with a hot middle big end bearing but I am sure this will be quickly resolved. YouTube video below by
Whilst 35028 Clan Line was running in undercoat in preparation for a return to full British Railways lined Brunswick green livery, for some reason, possibly only known to Dave Smith, 35018 is currently being outshopped in both an unauthentic gloss black livery and also masquerading with Bulleid Light Pacific West County 34016 nameplates Bodmin rather than British India Line. Along with 35028 and 35005 Canadian Pacific, 35018 becomes the third Bulleid Merchant Navy to run on the Main line in preservation.
I can not say I am a fan of changing locomotive identities, let alone between different classes of locomotive or unauthentic liveries, at least it good see both 35028 and indeed 35018 back on the main line. Hopefully 35018 will return to her proper identity and authentic livery perhaps once initial test runs have been completed.
I am especially pleased that the major overhaul to main line stalwart 35028 coming to an end, as being a Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society member I am booked on the UK Railtours ‘Waterloo Sunset’ railtour on 9th July behind 35028 between Waterloo and Yeovil Junction and return to commemorate the end of the steam on the Southern Region in 1967.
35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. Steams into to spring and summer #Bulleidbrilliance
Posted in 35006, tagged 35006 Locomotive Society, Bulleid, Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacifics, eninsular & Oriental S. N. Co., Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, Mid Hants Railway, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region on May 9, 2017| 3 Comments »
This Month sees restored Bulleid pacific 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. return to regular steam on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWSR) following the completion of her restoration and return to service last year. So far this year she has already run during March for a series of Private Charter trains in conjunction with the Cheltenham Races Festival, but now allocated dates for her running on the GWRS during May have been released.
The steaming dates commence this weekend 13th/14th May followed by the weekend of the 20th/21st and then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 23rd to 25th may leading up to the GWRS’s Cotswold Festival of Steam over the weekend of Saturday 27th, Sunday 28th and Monday 29th May. Her first visit to another line has also been announced, as 35006 will be appearing at the Mid Hants Railway Summer gala being held over two weekends in July to celebrate 50 years since the end of Southern steam with a distinctly Bulleid flavour. Over the weekends of 1st / 2nd and 7th, 8th and 9th July she will join Battle of Britain classes 34053 ‘Sir Keith Park’ , 34081 ’92 Squadron’ and 34052 ‘Lord Dowding’ in service with some of the lines resident fleet of BR standard locomotives.As a shareholder it is always good to see her doing what she does best, being in steam, hauling passenger trains and doing Bulleid proud!
Talking Stock #36 The rebuilding of the Bulleid Merchant Navy Class and a touch of Workbench Witterings
Posted in 35006, 35011, RT Models, Talking Stock, Workbench Witterings, tagged 35006 Locomotive Society, Albert Goodall, Bulleid, Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacifics, Fox Transfers, HMRS Pressfix Transfers, Hornby, original Merchant Navy, Rebuilt Merchant Navy, RT Models, Southern, Southern Railway, Southern Region on March 14, 2017| 3 Comments »
This week saw the first of the new Hornby ‘Original’ Merchant Navy Pacifics hitting the retailers, see my Talking Stock #35 post here for more details and also the full size ‘Rebuilt’ Merchant Navy Pacific 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. steaming in public service for the first time in 2017 on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway (GWSR) for the week of services allied with the Cheltenham Races Festival. With this in mind I thought it was time that firstly I finished my model of 35006 in her as preserved guise (being a shareholder), and also that I mentioned the Rebuilt Merchant Navy Pacifics on this blog, although they are of course out of my usual 1946-49 modelling period.
Rebuilding the Merchant Navy’s
Although in general the Merchant Navy class as introduced were a success, proving to be powerful and very free steaming, one of the outcomes of the less than scientifically carried out Locomotive Exchange trails in 1948 and further performance and efficiency tests carried out at the Rugby Stationary Test Plant between March 1952 and January 1952, showed them to be costing a lot in: coal, water, oil and secondly maintenance when compared to other classes. These costs along with issues of leakage of oil from the enclosed motion oil baths and the reliability and accuracy of the steam reverser / cut off setting led to the Southern Region looking at options to improve the engines. The option chosen as opposed to trying to overcome the individual issues was to rebuild the engines with more ‘standard parts’. The task was given, in 1954, to R.G. Jarvis of the Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer’s Department at Brighton, his new design replaced the encased oil bath and chain driven valve gear with three sets of more traditional Walschaerts valve gear, new style piston heads and rods, regulator and a screw-link type reverser. The ashpan and grate were also replaced and included hopper bottom doors and front and rear dampers. A new fabricated smokebox, superheater header and steam pipes were also fitted.The frames, outside cylinders, boilers were retained along with the: Bullied-Firth-Brown wheels (although now needing balance weights to be fitted), axleboxes, the efficient ‘clasp’ locomotive brakes and the ‘Stones’ steam generator for electric lighting both for the engine headsignals and in cab lighting. The same tenders were utilised, albeit with the side raves cut down to ease water filling access and reverse running view. The drawbar between the loco and tender however was replaced. Externally the ‘Air Smoothed’ casing was removed giving the look common to the recently introduced BR standard classes, although the characteristic oval shaped smokebox door was kept. Sanding, from replacement sandboxes, was also added to the leading driving axle, whilst rearward application was incorporated to the middle driving axle and new mechanical lubricators were accessibly mounted on the running plate alongside the boiler.
In 1955 the British Railways Board gave authority for fifteen of the class to be modified and authority for rebuilding the remainder swiftly followed. In February 1956 Eastleigh works released 35018 British India Line in its newly modified form (35018 as the prototype rebuild remained unique to the rest of the class as the front sandbox filler position and injector pipework differed), by October 1959 all the class had been rebuilt.
Performance of the rebuilt engines was indeed successful, solving most of the maintenance issues, although one drawback was that they put greater loads on the track, than the largely self balanced originals, as a result of increased hammerblow, caused by the balance weights required for the Walschaerts valve gear.
My model of rebuilt 35006 as preserved
The release by Hornby in the year 2000 of the rebuilt Merchant Navy locomotive heralded a new generation of model steam locomotives by Hornby and was a step change of standard of models reactive to competition in the market place and gave us a new super detail standard featuring blackened finish handrails and wheels with etched brass valve gear, detailed cab interior, and a five pole motor housed and driving within the locomotive itself. Over the years a number of the class have been released with a few modifications to the tooling along the way, although as yet none of the first series engines as rebuilt have been released as the 5000 gallon style tenders they were paired with have not been tooled.
As 35006 in preservation has been paired to a brand new built larger 5100 style tender I have used a Hornby R1038 35012 United States Lines (split from a train pack) locomotive as the basis for my model.Firstly I removed the cabside number numbers via my usual method of soaking the Hornby printing in enamel thinners and rubbing off with a cotton bud and replacing with HMRS Pressfix decals.

A front 3/4 view of 35006 based on the Hornby Rebuilt Merchant Navy with detailing parts and etched plates from RT Models and Fox Transfers
I replaced the front steps as supplied by Hornby by the more robust lost wax cast versions, along with a set of the cylinder drain pipes to complete the front end look, obtained through RT Models, from his excellent Albert Goodall range.
As I am modelling 35006 in her preserved condition I want to to also represent her superb external paintwork finish with a reflective and classic oily rag polished hue and have therefore given the model a coat of Kleer floor polish to give a such a finish to the paintwork (and also seal in the decals).
More details of 35006 and the locomotive Society can be found on my dedicated page here. Also it is worth mentioning the 35011 The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society that was formed last year with the intention of not only restoring 35011 back to working order but doing so back in original air smoothed condition condition complete with Bulleid’s oil bath encased valve gear incorporating chain drive elements to fill the gap in preserved examples left by the entire class having been rebuilt.