South Devon Railway marks 150th anniversary of Totnes to Ashburton line with ‘living history’
THE South Devon Railway held a special gala over the bank holiday weekend of April 30 to May 2 to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Buckfastleigh, Totnes & South Devon Railway, which opened between Totnes and Ashburton in May 1872.
The SDR had originally planned for GWR 0-6-0ST No.813 to visit from the Severn Valley Railway, but unfortunately it failed the week before (see pages 48-53).
However, it led to a happy homecoming for GWR prairie
No. 4555, the first locomotive to be preserved on the then Dart Valley Railway in 1965.
It was borrowed by arrangement with the East Somerset Railway, which currently has it on loan, and owner the Dartmouth Steam Railway,
Furthermore, the SDR was able to run two historic GWR carriages for the first time.
GWR First Class Family Saloon No. 9044 provided visitors with a taste of Victorian luxury. The oldest preserved GWR bogie carriage, it is only nine years younger than the SDR!
GWR ‘Toplight’ Corridor Third No. 2434 provided a slightly less luxurious – but still very smart – travelling experience. Both carriages are on loan from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway and entered service after a schedule of work on the running gear was completed at the SDR: It was the first time that No. 2434 has operated in preservation.
Setting the scene
From the home fleet, GWR 0-6-0 PT No. 6430 and prairie No. 5526 helped provide an intensive service including auto and demonstration goods trains, the highlight being 4555 and 5526 double heading on a set of four GWR carriages.
Actors from the Ceridwen Theatre Company appeared at Buckfastleigh as working class Victorian couple Frank and Eliza, telling visitors about the opening of the railway and how it affected life for locals at the time. The SDR’s Routemaster bus provided a link to Ashburton, the original terminus, and a ceremonial Corsican Pine tree, the species of tree the GWR regularly used at its stations, was planted as a legacy for the 150th anniversary.
Despite overcast weather, the event was very busy and attracted many visitors, several in Victorian attire. Trains had to be strengthened with extra carriages to cope.
General manager Ernest ElsworthWilson said: “It was brilliant to see the railway busy with many happy visitors at our first major gala since March 2020, and we are glad to have been able to celebrate such a major anniversary in our line’s history with some style. The visit of 4555 and the GWR carriages really helped to showcase our railway.
“Having Frank and Eliza on hand as our Victorian hosts bolstered the ‘living history’ experience we aim to provide, and we hope that alongside an interesting set of railway operations we also provided some historical insight to a period often forgotten in preservation.”