Branchline Gala - Bodmin and Wenford Railway - 2024

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this Railway knows how to hold a Gala! A short trip up the road (for me) to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. The theme, Branchline Railways, and it featured the best the B&WR had to offer. Running on the day, were sister GWR prairies 5552 & 5553, Class 121 Bubblecar 121020 & Bagnall Saddle Tank ‘Judy’. There were other static locos on display at Bodmin General, notably the Beattie-Well tank, which had recently arrived for an overhaul. It was very busy, a 4th coach had to be added after the first train to accommodate everyone. The Bodmin & Wenford is one of the steepest branchlines in the UK; locomotives work hard to climb the gradients. It has two branches, one from Bodmin General to Bodmin Parkway via Colesloggett Halt, and the other from Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction, the latter much shorter than the former. The next similar event for the B&WR is the China Clay Gala in September, that was excellent last year. This year, it should feature CDA’s, which would make it even better! Filmed on Sunday May 26th, the weather was mixed with sunshine and scattered showers. In this video, juggling between filming and the Monaco Grand Prix, shots were taken at:

00:00 5552 & 5553, A38
01:24 Bubblecar, Crabtree Footpath
02:21 5552 & 5553, Carminnow Meadow
03:11 Judy with the Mini Goods, Crabtree Footpath
05:30 5552, Crabtree Footpath
06:20 Bubblecar, Charlie’s Gate
07:37 Bubblecar, Colesloggett Halt
09:41 5553, Carminnow Overbridge
10:39, Bubblecar, Bodmin General
11:47 5553, Bodmin General
13:47 Judy with the Mini Goods, Bodmin General
15:39 Mini Goods Train
16:54 Bubblecar arrives from Boscarne Junction
17:57 5553 arrives from Bodmin Parkway
19:03 Judy with the Mini, Carminnow Meadow
19:47 Judy, Colesloggett Halt
20:48 Judy slips away
22:24 5552 & 5553, Carminnow Bridge
23:34 5552 & 5553, Colesloggett Halt

I hope you enjoy watching, if you did, please like, comment and subscribe, it really is rather flattering. You can see why it’s a Mini Goods Train!

Find a south-west railtour calendar, along with a heritage gala calendar and my best photos at:
https://www.trecanrail.com/
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