Baton relay’s worldwide journey sees triple heritage railway success
THREE UK heritage railways carried the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay as part of its 294-day, 90,000-mile journey through 72 Commonwealth countries.
The relay is held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games, which opened in Britain’s second city on July 28. The baton carries a message from The Queen as head of the Commonwealth and, following tradition, began at Buckingham Palace on October 7, 2021, in London, when she entrusted it to the first relay runner.
Designed and manufactured in the West Midlands, the baton features a platinum strand along its length to commemorate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It has a camera, a heart-rate monitor, an atmospheric sensor, and lights that change each time the baton is passed from person to person.
It arrived in Wales on June 29 having completed its tour of the Commonwealth nations, and the next day visited Tywyn. A walking relay through the town ended at the Talyllyn Railway’s Tywyn Wharf station, where 140 children from two primary schools, 16 police officers, 15 teachers, 12 VIPs, and the baton itself joined a train headed by Barclay 0-4-2T No.7 Tom Rolt.
Four on the footplate!
The baton was carried on the train by local councillor Beth Lawton, and initially started on the footplate of No.7. That proved a squeeze as the baton must always have a police officer with it, so four people fitted onto the footplate!
At each station or halt, the train stopped and the baton was moved to a different carriage for everyone to see. At Cynfal halt the train was met by a runner from the Race the Train event, which is held every year in August. The runner was joined by two police officers alongside the train, with the baton being passed to two other runners before rejoining the train at Rhydyronen. The train terminated at Abergynolwyn, from where the baton was taken into the village and welcomed by a silver band before resuming its journey into Ceredigion.
TR general manager Stuart Williams said: “We were delighted to be approached by Team Wales last year to be part of the baton’s journey through Wales. We were able to work together with the town council to bring the whole community together for what was a fantastic event.”
Chris Jenkins, chief executive officer of Team Wales, added: “I have never seen so many happy faces as the schools boarded the train with its Queens Baton Relay headboard for the journey to Abergynolwyn.”
The Severn Valley Railway welcomed the relay to Kidderminster station on Saturday, July 23. Baton bearer Jess Benyon, 27, from Stourport-on-Severn, carried it inside the station building and through a guard of honour, comprising many of the line’s volunteers.
‘Amazing’ experience
Jess is the West Midlands regional coordinator for the Dwarf Sports Association UK, and organises sports activities for people with dwarfism, including swimming, multi-sports and outdoor adventure activities.
She said: “It was amazing to carry the baton on the special Severn Valley Railway train. I am so proud to have been chosen for this role.”
As the special baton relay train, hauled by the purple-liveried Bulleid West Country light Pacific No.70 Elizabeth II (aka No. 34027 Taw Valley) made its way to Bridgnorth, it slowed to walking pace as it passed each intermediate station. The platforms were crowded with spectators ready to witness this historic occasion.
SVR managing director Helen Smith said: “The atmosphere throughout the whole railway has been joyous. It has been a pleasure to welcome hundreds and hundreds of people here, and to have played our part in this wonderful community event. And what a fantastic opportunity it’s been for our stunning purple locomotive to shine once again, alongside the baton bearers who carried out their duties so well.”
The event heralded the start of the railway’s summer holiday season, which, taking its theme from the Games, is hosting a Summer of Sport.
Railway visitors can take part in a host of fun sports and team activities at The Engine House museum and visitor centre at Highley alongside the SVR’s summer crew. Tickets for trips on the railway and the events at Highley can be booked online at www.svr.co.uk
Carried to cheers
At Bridgnorth, Jess Benyon delivered the baton to Michelle Southall, 52, who took the first leg from the station into the town. Michelle was selected for her efforts in raising more than £100,000 for charity after her daughter Lucie died
from leukaemia.
Cheered onto the platform, Michelle carried the baton out of the station through a guard of honour, again formed by SVR volunteers wearing overhauls and with raised shovels.
Another eight baton bearers carried it through the town as people lined the streets to cheer them on– flanked by a special team of police support runners. The baton was then handed on to local resident Jean Childs, who was given the honour of carrying it on a third railway – Bridgnorth Cliff Railway, England’s oldest and steepest inland electric funicular line.
Mrs Childs, 71, was selected as a baton bearer for her role as a volunteer supporting swimming and a qualified British Swimming referee. She said: “To do this on the iconic cliff railway is amazing.” From Bridgnorth, the baton went to Codsall and reached Birmingham on July 27.