Gloucester Transport History

IF THAT IS NOT A GLOUCESTER RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND WAGON BUILT VEHICLE BEHIND MISS AMY DUFFY THEN IT IS ONE OF ITS FESTINIOG STABLEMATES. CLICK ON PICTURE FOR MORE DETAILS

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RED NOTICE CASE

Motorail Logistics are pleased to announce a Charity Open Day Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, 7/8^th June 2008, at their Long Marston Storage Site. This will be an all ticket event.

Porterbrook have kindly agreed to display their remaining Class 87 locomotives. This maybe the last chance to see and photograph the British Rail built electrics, before they are exported for further use. These locomotives are currently going through a refurbishment programme in Motorail Logistics workshops and staff will be available to answer any questions you may have about their work.

Porterbrook have also generously donated an original alloy nameplate from 87012 The Olympian, which will be raffled during the event. Raffle tickets will be on sale during both days and the draw will take place on the afternoon of Sunday 8^th June, prior to close.

Subject to availability it is hoped to have rolling stock from GBRf on display, including one of the new batch of Class 66 locomotives, which are due for delivery in the UK shortly.

Steam enthusiasts will enjoy seeing Andrew Goodman’s Austerity 0-6-0ST, No.15. It was turned out as works number 2183 and delivered new to the War Department (later Ministry of Defence) entering service as No. 71529 in 1943. The very extensive overhaul of No. 15 included substantial boiler and firebox repairs while the engine has been equipped with both vacuum and air braking systems, in addition to its standard steam brake.

Also on display will be examples from diesel and electric locomotive classes 08, 20, 31, 37, 47, 56, 73, and 86 together with many other items of rolling stock including some recently stored ex-departmental stock.

So as you won’t miss seeing rolling stock stored in some out-of-bounds areas, we will again be using our heritage Class 117 DMU on a shuttle service around the complex. A rare opportunity to bash some ex-MOD track!

Long Marston is also home to the Stratford and Broadway Railway Society. Members will be available in the South Exchange Sidings workshop to show and discuss their preservation work. For the collector numerous trade stands will be selling books, photographs and other interesting pieces of railwayana.

There is ample parking for visitors travelling by car. For those intending to journey by rail, we will be arranging for a shuttle bus service to connect with trains at Stratford on Avon. Stratford on Avon is served by Chiltern Railways from London and London Midland Railways from Birmingham and the surrounding area.

All proceeds from the event will be shared by the charities, The Anthony Nolan Trust and Vale Wildlife Rescue. Tickets prices are £15 for a one day pass or £25 for a weekend pass. Children aged 14 and under are free but must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

To request an e-mailed ticket application form, please e-mail us at events@motorail.co.uk. Alternatively send a self-stamped addressed envelope to:

Events, Motorail Logistics, Control Tower, Long Marston Storage Site, Campden Road, Long Marston, Stratford on Avon. Warwickshire. CV37 8QR.

Please note, if you are a visitor travelling to the event with ukrailtours, your ticket has already been allocated and will be given to you on the train.

For further details please e-mail the above address or telephone 07766-317335.

KEMBLE AIR DAY ON SUNDAY 15 JUNE 2008 LOOKS SET TO FEATURE EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON, DE HAVILLAND VAMPIRE , BAe HAWK AND OTHER CLASSIC AIRCRAFT. ADULT ADVANCE TICKETS PRICED £18.50 - CHILD (AGED 6-16 ) £5.00 - AVAILABLE FROM GLOUCESTER TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE. CLICK ON PICTURE FOR MORE DETAILS.

THE MODEL STEAM ROAD VEHICLE SOCIETY ANNUAL RALLY WILL BE HELD AT GANDER LANE, TEWKESBURY, ON SATURDAY 28 AND SUNDAY 29 JUNE 2008, INCLUDING A MODEL TENT APPEARANCE BY THE 00 GAUGE LAYOUT CAPITAL WORKS.

THE STROUD 2008 INDOOR EXHIBITION OF GARDEN RAILWAYS WILL BE HELD AT STRATFORD PARK LEISURE CENTRE, STROUD, GL5 4AF ON SATURDAY 28 AND SUNDAY 29 JUNE 2008 FROM 1000 - 1600. 5" GAUGE RAILWAY WILL ALSO BE RUNNING IN STRATFORD PARK ON BOTH AFTERNOONS. ADMISSION £ 4.50 IN AID OF TS SEVERN STROUD SEA SCOUTS.

THE LEIGH VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY OPEN WEEKEND IN AID OF CROHNS IN CHILDHOOD AND THE MILESTONE SCHOOL WILL BE HELD ON 5 AND 6 JULY 2008 AT 19 GRAFTON ROAD, GLOUCESTER, GL2 0QP FROM 1000 - 1800.

THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE STEAM AND VINTAGE EXTRAVAGANZA WILL BE HELD AT KEMBLE AIRFIELD ON 1-3 AUGUST 2008.

THE FAIRFORD STEAM RALLY AND SHOW WILL BE HELD ON 16 AND 17 AUGUST 2008. CLICK ON PICTURE FOR MORE DETAILS.

AN ARCHIVE FILM NIGHT WILL BE HELD AT ST GEORGE'S CHURCH CENTRE BROCKWORTH BY GLOUCESTER CINE AND VIDEO CLUB ON MONDAY 13 OCTOBER 2008 AT 7.30PM

THE CHELTENHAM GWR MODELLERS EXHIBITION IN AID OF CLIC SARGEANT WILL BE HELD AT ST MARGARET'S HALL, CONISTON ROAD, CHELTENHAM ON SATURDAY 25 AND SUNDAY 26 OCTOBER 2008.

A LONDON MIDLAND & SCOTTISH RAILWAY THEMED FILM NIGHT WILL BE HELD AT ST GEORGE'S CHURCH CENTRE BROCKWORTH BY GLOUCESTER CINE AND VIDEO CLUB IN MARCH 2009. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

Set at the lowest natural crossing point on the River Severn, Gloucester has always been a focus for travellers and as a result both the City and County have a rich transport heritage.

First came the Romans with their roads, which evolved from the pathways of the Ancient Britons and grew into the complex of trunk roads and Motorways that we enjoy today. These roads not only allowed Welsh livestock to be driven to London but also accessed the coal, iron and timber of the nearby Forest of Dean

As the centuries passed too, the Severn was also exploited for the movement of goods, leading Queen Elizabeth I to grant the Letters Patent that made Gloucester a Port in 1580. Indeed, the trade on the Severn was so busy by the reign of Charles I that his imposition of Ship Tax helped the citizens of Gloucester decide to stand against him in the English Civil War.

fter decades of manual labour, the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal also opened in 1827, allowing the dangerous sandbanks of the river to be bypassed by ocean going vessels. The longest, widest and deepest ship canal in the World – as it was when new – also brought an abundance of timber to the Cathedral City.

After decades of manual labour, the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal also opened in 1827, allowing the dangerous sandbanks of the river to be bypassed by ocean going vessels. The longest, widest and deepest ship canal in the World – as it was when new – also brought an abundance of timber to the Cathedral City.

This in turn laid the foundation for such firms as Morelands – the "England’s Glory" match manufacturers – the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited and H.H. Martyn's of Cheltenham.

From Gloucester's tradition of blacksmithery and pin making too, sprang Cotton Motorcycles and – ultimately – the Gloster Aircraft Company. Among this company's illustrious products were the Gloster E28/39. In 1941 this became the first Allied jet aircraft to fly and led directly to the development of the Meteor and Javelin fighters.

Indeed, prior to the creation of the new counties of Avon and South Gloucestershire in 1973, Gloucestershire also embraced Parnall's of Yate and the Bristol Aeroplane Company with its omnibus building ancestry.

Prior to the creation of the new counties of Avon and South Gloucestershire in 1973, Gloucestershire also embraced the Bristol Aeroplane Company with its omnibus building ancestry.

From the latter's base at Filton, the British prototype Anglo - French Concorde first flew in 1969. With Brian Trubshaw at the controls, G-BSST landed at RAF Fairford - still a part of the transport infrastructure of Gloucestershire today and host to the annual Royal International Air Tattoo.

Gloucestershire also boasts a rich heritage of railway operations, having been the Nineteenth Century battleground of the gauges between the factions of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and George and Robert Stephenson. As a result, the county still has direct links with Cardiff, Bristol, Swindon and Birmingham.

Indeed, Gloucestershire can also lay claim to preserved railways,horse drawn tramways, narrow gauge and miniature railways as well as a thriving model transport enthusiast community. This includes the Gloucester branch of the International Plastic Modelling Society which meets at Churchdown Community Centre on the first Tuesday of every month. For further information please contact Mr Barnfield on 01242 862826.

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