Ever since I joined the Nunney Castle support group in July 2006, one of my life long dreams was to ride on the footplate out of Bristol Temple Meads, my home station. That dream became a reality on a hot summer’s day two years later, when I was instructed to act as the Owners Representative on the footplate. So in the company of Driver Ray Poole and Fireman Dean Morris, we set out from Bristol with the return working to Birmingham.

Our original plan would have seen us tackle the 1 in 75 Gradient of Horfield Bank, then high-speed running via Badminton and Little Somerford where, in days gone by, it was not uncommon to see Castles that worked the “Bristolian” doing 100mph. Engineering work however meant a change of route and we would travel via the more scenic route, via Bath and Chippenham along the original Great Western Mainline.

At precisely 15:36, Fireman Morris gave Driver Poole the right away and with a full head of Steam we set off for a non-stop run to our water stop at Oxford. With every beat of the exhaust that Nunney Castle made, I could feel the sound bouncing off the walls of the surrounding buildings, as 5029 made her presence felt, suggesting to me that this was going to be a very very interesting run. A quick whistle salute to the 6024 gang who were prepping their loco for a Torbay Express working the following day, and we accelerated away picking up speed very rapidly as we stormed through the former site of Bristol No.1 Tunnel (demolished in 1887).

By the time we reached Keynsham we were going along at a nice speed, and it was just amazing to listen to the constant sound of a steam engine working hard. This was only my 2nd footplate ride on the mainline, my first trip was from Wolverhampton to Tyseley. I was a little disappointed on that occasion as we never got over about 50mph and it was down hill for most of the way. This time however, we were doing more than that, and after all those times my support crew colleagues had been saying “hold on tight”, I could now see exactly what they were talking about!

On the approach to Bath we saw a gallery of “fotoers” waiting at Twerton next to the main dual carriageway, and I’m sure they were very impressed as we stormed past them. After a speed restriction through Oldfield Park, we accelerated through Bath passing an HST and were greeted by crowds of people. Never in my life have I felt so proud, standing on the footplate of steam locomotive in full cry, with tens upon tens of people watching with their jaws crashing through the floor! It was priceless! I felt that it couldn’t get better than this, and I was wrong…because it did!!

We accelerated up the 1 in 110 gradients of Middle and Box Tunnels, and it was fascinating to watch Fireman Morris firing away in the dark as we continued to accelerate to the summit. We emerged from the tunnel and then raced through Chippenham, and saw a few more jaws crashing to the floor! The best part of the entire run was the run 1 in 100 climb up Dauntsey Bank, and we just flattened it as if we were on the level! It was truly fantastic!! The noise of the loco was just totally indescribable. It is one of those moments where words really cannot describe the atmosphere that was experienced, and only those who have also been privileged to ride/drive/fire one of these magnificent machines can truly understand what I experienced. After the climb of Dauntsey Bank, we were checked on the approach to Swindon and stopped at the station. Between Oxford and Didcot we were galloping along nicely, with more admirers waving to us along the way at Culham and Radley and came to a stop at Hinksey for water.
What an exhilarating run! A big thanks to Driver Ray Poole, Firemen Dean Morris & Alistair Meanley, for giving me a truly amazing and privileged experience. THE NUNNEY CASTLE EXPERIENCE !

Dave Oldham.