Current News & Events

September 2008

  • 5029 is visiting the Mid- Hants Railway over two week-ends this month.
    To view some of the images taken during its visit.(click here)

 

August 2008

  • 5029 Nunney Castle and the Torbay Express 10th & 17th august 2008
    A statement from the 5029 Support Group and Past Time Rail Ltd.

Click here (PDF format)

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April 2008

  • Report on loaded test run - 15th & 24th April 2008 (click here)
  • The test run for 5029 is now scheduled for Tuesday 15th April, leaving Tyseley at approx. 1100 hours - the route is as follows:

Tyseley - Stratford - Tyseley - Humberstone Rd - Tyseley

Final return trip departing Humberstone Road at approx.19.10 hours and arriving Tyseley at approx.21.00 hours.

The locomotive is now painted in glossy green, with BRITISH RAILWAYS on the tender - the lining is yet to be applied.

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March 2008

  • Following further work on 5029, it is hoped to carry out a loaded test run on the network during the second week in April.The proposed route is as follows:

    Tyseley - Stratford - Leicester - Tyseley

    Updates will be placed here as details are confirmed.

February 2008

  • Please note the railtours shown on the Railtour page are the OFFICIAL booked railtours for 5029. Tour details from any other source are NOT to be relied upon.

January 2008

  • Following last week's report 5029's boiler has now passed its steam test. The boiler will now be lagged prior to it being lifted back into the locomotive's frames.
  • 5029's boiler passed its hydraulic test on 3rd January 2008.A steam test of the boiler will take place in the next few weeks,the successful completion of which will see the boiler re-united within the locomotive frames by 31st January 2008.

December 2007

Three railtours have now been arranged with Vintage Trains Ltd; the tour operating arm and subsidary of the Birmingham Railway Museum Trust (click here for news)

October 2007

  • The Support Group are now in the early stages of planning a schedule of railtours, commencing in March and April 2008.When the dates are finalized the railtour page will be updated accordingly.
  • Agreement has now been reached with Tyseley Locomotive Works to establish the engineering base for Nunney Castle at the Tyseley site.
  • The Support Group have now agreed a schedule of works which will see 5029 assembled and steam tested by the year-end. This will be followed by some loaded test runs on the network in January/ February 2008.

.September 2007

The group urgently require an Intermediate Drawbar for 5029

Can you help ? - click here!

The Group are hoping to have the locomotive assembled and steam tested by the year-end and doing the loaded test runs on the system in January/February 2008

June 2007

The Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust
Will be holding a major exhibition this summer in Shrewsbury recalling the end of the steam era for rail services in Shropshire, and the closure of the Shrewsbury engines sheds.To visit their sites click below:
Among the exhibits on show, and in recognition of Shrewsbury's Great Western Railway past, the Nunney Castle group have made available several artifacts on loan to the Trust - click here for images

Livery Decision

After careful consideration, and taking into account the various opinions expressed in the survey, the Support Group have decided to repaint Nunney Castle in the last Great Western green livery (Hawksworth) but with British Railways on the tender in Great Western style lettering.The locomotive number to be on the buffer beam initially, with the option to place it on the smokebox plate at a later date.
The Hawksworth livery (1941-1947) was not as complicated as the Collett livery (1923-1941)for example it did not have the lining on the black coloured parts.The copper and brass was,of course polished (except in wartime conditions when they were painted over)This particular livery usually has the Great Western crest on the tender, with the cylinders lined with a box, and not two lines as British Railways. The cab is lined with windows in the panel, not as a box. The angle below the running plate is black, unlined, not green as British Railways.

There were approximately 180 replies to the livery survey, with no overall “winner” as such. The traditional GWR Brunswick Green polled well, with GWR Green being the favourite. This came as no surprise given the fact that the Castles look magnificent in the GWR Green.
We had several rather “scary” suggestions such as painting 5029 in:

· LMS Maroon
· BR Black
· And even Blue
We suspect that the first two contributors logged on to the wrong web site!
While there is a strong case for painting say a GWR King in blue, (and maybe 5029 double-heading with 6023 one day) as the kings did appear in this livery in BR days, but blue would look wrong as a permanent colour on a Castle.

Apple Green was another popular choice. This colour appeared briefly circa 1947/8 in early BR days with British Railways lettering on the tender, although it was not a popular choice with the new BR. However it was pointed out to us, in some of the replies, that the livery did not photograph particularly well. But certainly this choice would be one to consider in say three years time, when 5029 is due another repaint.
One interesting feature to come from the survey, was the number of variations of colour and design suggested for Nunney Castle’s tender, not just the traditional GWR logo’s, but the BR lion, and BR lettering too. It was the wish to see the finished style in a post grouping style that persuaded the Support Group to settle for the British Railways lettering.

Thanks again to all those who contributed to the survey.

(Hm!-LMS Maroon indeed – “Charlie Collett” would have been spinning in his grave!)

 

 

 

May 2007

In an attempt to build up an archive of Nunney Castle the Webmaster would appreciate any photos or memorabilia of the locomotive during its operational days with GWR or BR - (pre: 1968)

February 2007

Many thanks to those of you who responded to the 5029 livery survey. The data, together with your comments are being analysed. A decision will be announced shortly.

January 2007

The custodians of Nunney Castle have been considering what livery to paint 5029 in when the overhaul is complete - with this in mind they have decided to conduct a survey to determine what opinions or preferences the public have about this subject. If you wish to take part in this survey follow this link.......................... The survey is now closed.(February 13th 2007)

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