Photograph copyright: Graham Williams
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Monday 14 November 2011
Sunday 13 November 2011
Exeter and Plymouth with Steam Dreams
The Duke is scheduled to be one of the engines hauling the Steam Dreams tour from London Paddington to Exeter and Plymouth on 10th March 2012. For more information, please refer to the Steam Dreams website.
Friday 11 November 2011
The Official Renaming Ceremony
Dr Gary Shannon writes:
John Bennett remembers:
One of the greatest moments of my involvement with 71000, other than the first day we ran it, the official renaming ceremony was really a day to recognise everyone who had contributed - both Members and British industry to the project. Let us not forget!
The best part of £100k was raised by share subscription. An estimated £150k was contributed in kind by engineering companies. I have no figure for fundraising and donations but over the 13 years it must have been substantial.
The attached photographs were taken on the occasion of the official renaming ceremony of 71000 Duke of Gloucester by His Royal Highness, the current Duke of Gloucester on Remembrance Day, 11th November 1986.
The event took place at Rothley Station for the benefit of His Royal Highness and his retinue, invited members of the 71000 Steam Locomotive Company and Trust, the Great Central Railway, and, of course, the press. The locomotive carried a wreath for Remembrance Day and at the appropriate time, 11am, the distinctive chime whistle was sounded to mark the beginning of the two minute silence. The silence ended with a further blast of the whistle.
His Royal Highness arrived, chauffeur driven, with a heavy security and police presence. After the re-naming had taken place with the customary speeches, the Duke and his entourage, together with invited guests, attended a banquet in a marquee set up at the south end of Rothley Station.
By pure coincidence I sat next to an elderly lady, then in her mid eighties, who was none other than the widow of the late Robert A Riddles who had died in 1983. Mrs Riddles was quite a character as I recall. I engaged in conversation with her during lunch and said that it was rather sad that her late husband had not survived to see the Duke completed in all its glory. She said, "My husband was a fine engineer, one of the best" and then she made reference to the copious amounts of wine and sherry displayed on one of the tables at the end of the marquee. She said, "Look at all that wine and sherry. What you should do is get a few glasses down you. It'll put a bit of colour in your cheeks". I had to advise her that it wouldn't be a wise move as I had to drive home afterwards and I had my parents with me as well.
Talking to the late Mrs Riddles was rather like stepping back into a bygone age. She sadly passed away a year or two ago aged 108!
Thursday 10 November 2011
71000 leaving Barry
Bill writes:
The two photos at Barry were taken leaving via the back entrance of the docks onto the island. We had to go that way because of the height restriction under the railway at Barry station.
First the whole rig grounded (picture taken out of the back of Colin Rhodes' Vauxhall Viva).
Then we followed up the hill only to find the Duke towering over us when got round the corner! We would have been a little squashed if the chains hadn't held! (This photo taken over Colin's shoulder).
The third picture was taken at Quorn. I remember the Barclay 0-4-0 saddletank sent from Loughborough to collect the Duke was on the wrong side of the siding to be able to get the Duke onto the mainline. We therefore manually pushed the engine off the siding, a trick we had learned at Barry!
Saturday 5 November 2011
Hallowe'en Duke
Photo of 71000 leaving Ramsbottom with the Hallowe'en Special on the East Lancs Railway taken by Graham Williams.
Tuesday 1 November 2011
The East Lancs Steam Gala ... without 71000
A sales team consisting of me, Stuart Wright and Martin and Karen Tunley attended the East Lancashire Steam Gala over the weekend of 22/23 of October.Martin and Karen who had travelled up from Tunberry Wells in Worcestershire that morning had been scheduled to sell memorabilia on the trains hauled by 71000, but unfortunately due to a number of operational problems the loco was unable to leave the Nene Valley in time to attend.
As is always the case at the ELR a strong chilling wind blew across the platform and the first job when setting up the sales stand was to secure all the exhibits.
The centrepiece of our stand is a framed signed limited edition print of the Duke and Two Duchesses at Camden Shed by the railway artist Philip Hawkins.
On display were various other items such as keyrings, pens, badges, mugs ( including some with 71000 and the Great Central Crest ) and DVDs.
We were pleased that a new fridge magnet showing 71000 on the turntable at the Nene Valley Railway was newly available for purchase.
Trade was slow but steady with ongoing requests for information as to why 71000 was not at the Gala.
The highlight of the weekend was on the Sunday when a lady rushed up to the stall, picked up a pen and shouted "I'll be back" and ran off. (Shades of Arnie, I thought, looking around nervously).
She returned after about 5 minutes looking very flushed in the face and announced in a triumphant voice, " I've got it".
"What have you got", I asked.
"Ralph McTell's autograph" she said, cradling the pen and a piece of paper in a very strange way.
Fortunately, she then paid for her pen and walked away.
For those of you who don't know, Ralph was a fairly famous folk singer in the 1970/80s and well known for a hit single "Streets of London." He had apparently been performing at the Lowry Centre in Salford on the Saturday.
Even without 71000 a good weekend was had by all and there was the added bonus that one of our pens had been in the hands of Ralph McTell. A memorable moment indeed!
If you require any further details regarding 71000 memorabilia i.e. stock availability and price, please contact David Brown on 01925 810426 or by email: browndj@ntlworld.com.
Chris Hazzleton
The Sales Team
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