GWR 0-6-0PT No.9466

2005 News and Operating Dates

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This page now contains a summary of all lines that 9466 visited in 2005 along with details of every operating date. Oldest news is at the bottom of the page.

For photos of 9466 taken during the 2005 operating season, please click here. - Page updated 24 April 2008.

After this rather exhausting autumn tour 9466 moved back to Quainton during the second week in October where she had a rest for a few weeks before we rowed in to the winter maintenance programme.

On 25 September 9466 was on Mr Antell's low loader again. This time the pannier was bound for a first time visit to Kent and in particular the Spa Valley Railway. 9466 operated on 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 15 and 16, 22 and 23, 29 and 30 October.

On the 19 September 9466 was on the move again, this time to Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway. Their 2005 Autumn Gala was to be an all Great Western affair and it was certainly very pleasing to have the loco back at Bridgnorth and be able to meet up with old friends again. On the 20th the loco was lit up and prepared for a positioning move to Bridgnorth - the usual way of undertaking this type of move it to attach the engine to be moved to the rear of a suitable service train. However a last minute change of plan saw 9466 hooked onto the front of the coaches and haul the service train to Bridgnorth with what should have been the train engine, GWR 0-6-0PT 1501, still attached to the rear - and we had not even had time to clean the buffers! Once at bridgnorth the loco was dispatched to the yard and put to bed.

The team returned on the 22nd to prep and clean 9466 in readiness for 3 hard days of activity on 23 - 25 Sept. It certainly was an action packed weekend with early morning and late evening running for both the loco and its support team! Never the less it was a fantastic weekend and a superb time was had by all.

Another quick move by Mr Antell enabled 9466 to be in Wiltshire for the weekend of 17 and 18 September to star at the Great Western Convention organised by the STEAM Museum at Swindon. The museum had laid a temporary running line of about 300 yards with a platform at one end from which short shuttle rides were given an a GW brake van brought in from the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway. It was nice to have 9466 back at her spiritual home even though she was built in the north east.

Early September saw the locomotive make a welcome return to the Battlefield Line at Shackerstone. The reason was an invite to appear at the annual Steam and Canal Festival over the weekend of 3 and 4 September. The during the week following the festival the Battlefield Line was able to obtain a short term hire of 57XX pannier No. 4612 from the Bodmin and Wenford railway. With visiting Hunslet Austerity "Whiston" also at Shackerstone, the railway decided to hold a short notice steam gala on 10 and 11 September.This enabled 9466 and 4612 to be paired up again for the second time in 2005.

After duties had been completed at Quainton 9466 was on the move again, this time making a repeat visit to the Nene Valley Railway. She arrived at Wansford on 11 June. At the NVR she operated on 18 and 19 June, 23 and 24 July, 30 and 31 July, 6 and 7 August and 13 and 14 August.

On 22 March, 9466 returned to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre and made an unexpected substitution for the booked loco on the Up Yard passenger service on Wednesday 30 March. Other operating dates also on the Up Yard passenger line at Quainton included 2 May, 22 May and 4 and 5 June.

9466 left Quainton hauled as always by John Antell on 13 March bound for Bishops Lydiard to take up her first booked duties of 2005 at the West Somerset Railway Spring Gala. This event ran from Thursday 17 March to Sunday 20 March inclusive. The loco performed well and was in illustrious company with plenty of examples of Swindon's finest running during the event. The highlight of the event had to be the triple headed pannier train on the afternoon of 20 March when 6412 piloted 4612 with 9466 coupled inside as the train engine. A fine sight! The photographs are here.

The 2004/5 winter maintenance programme was completed on 9466 at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. She was test steamed and made ready for the 2005 season.

Work carried out over the 2004/5 winter included the usual mechanical checks to ensure that all the whirly bits have been working properly. The boiler was washed out on what seemed like the coldest day of the year!

The decision was taken to check the timing of the locomotive. This involved much shunting backwards and forwards while taking measurements of the valves as they moved. Some slight alterations were made and we are now sure that the loco will perform even better in the coming months.

Some caulking of the lap seams was necessary in the firebox and the opportunity was also taken to strip out the rocking grate for inspection. No problems were found, so after some cleaning and the manufacture of some new pins the grate was re-fitted. The bunker was completely emptied, cleaned and descaled followed by the application of several coats of paint.

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Please e-mail me with any questions or queries. Bruce Murray

Page updated 24 April 2008.