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  3440 "CITY OF TRURO LEAVES TODDINGTON
15 APRIL 2009		  
 
 
   37 324 "Clydesbridge" and 7903 "Foremarke Hall"" at Toddington on 15 April 2009  
 
37 324 "Clydesbridge" and 7903 "Foremarke Hall"" at Toddington on 15 April 2009


Whilst visiting the Toddington headquarters of the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway on Wednesday 15 April 2009 to make a donation to the second hand stall in the parcels van museum I was also fortunate enough not only to see 37 324 "Clydesbridge" and 7903 "Foremarke Hall" but also the preparations for the departure of railway legend 3440 "City of Truro" for a new season of service on the Llangollen Railway in north Wales.


3440 "City of Truro" awaits the arrival of the low loader to take the railway icon to Llangollen


As well as taking the opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the number, name and worksplate, the separation of the Great Western Railway 4-4-0 from its tender allowed some uncommon views of the footplate. Particularly noticeable were the now-mandatory overhead electrification warning sign on the underside of the cab roof and the painted data on the left hand side. As well as the TOPS identity of 98240 alongside the more familiar 3440, the 2000th locomotive to be outshopped from Swindon Works is also now limited to 60 mph or 35 mph running tender first - a far cry from 9 May 1904 when the then 13 month old "City" class locomotive became, according to Charles Rous-Marten of The Railway Magazine, the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph.


As well as taking the opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the number, name and worksplate, the separation of the Great Western Railway 4-4-0 from its tender allowed some uncommon views of the footplate. Particularly noticeable were the now-mandatory overhead electrification warning sign on the underside of the cab roof and the painted data on the left hand side. As well as the TOPS identity of 98240 alongside the more familiar 3440, the 2000th locomotive to be outshopped from Swindon Works is also now limited to 60 mph or 35 mph running tender first - a far cry from 9 May 1904 when the then 13 month old "City" class locomotive became, according to Charles Rous-Marten of The Railway Magazine, the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph.


As well as taking the opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the number, name and worksplate, the separation of the Great Western Railway 4-4-0 from its tender allowed some uncommon views of the footplate. Particularly noticeable were the now-mandatory overhead electrification warning sign on the underside of the cab roof and the painted data on the left hand side. As well as the TOPS identity of 98240 alongside the more familiar 3440, the 2000th locomotive to be outshopped from Swindon Works is also now limited to 60 mph or 35 mph running tender first - a far cry from 9 May 1904 when the then 13 month old "City" class locomotive became, according to Charles Rous-Marten of The Railway Magazine, the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph.


As well as taking the opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the number, name and worksplate,  the separation of the Great Western Railway 4-4-0 from its tender allowed some uncommon views of the footplate. Particularly noticeable were the now-mandatory overhead electrification warning sign on the underside of the cab roof and the painted data on the left hand side.  As well as the TOPS identity of 98240 alongside the more familiar 3440, the 2000th locomotive to be outshopped from Swindon Works is also now limited to 60 mph or 35 mph running tender first - a far cry from  9 May 1904 when the then 13 month old  "City" class locomotive became, according to Charles Rous-Marten of The Railway Magazine, the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph.

However, Rous-Marten's timing of 102.3 mph - achieved when 3440 was hauling an Ocean Mails special train from Plymouth to London Paddington through Somerset - was not published by The Railway Magazine until 1907.

Initially, mindful of the need to preserve their reputation for safety, the Great Western Railway allowed only the overall timings for the run to be put into print. For the record to have been proven conclusively, the presence of two separate timekeepers was needed although, the milepost timings provided by Rous-Marten are consistent with a speed of 100 mph or just over.

The 100 mph speed barrier was officially broken until 30 November 1934 by LNER Gresley pacific 4472 "Flying Scotsman" but such was the historical significance of City of Truro that after withdrawal from Great Western service- with the number 3717 -  in 1931 it was purchased by the London & North Eastern Railway and preserved in their railway museum in York.

Renumbered as 3440, City of Truro was returned to service by British Railways Western Region from 1957 to 1961 after which it spent the years 1962-1984 at Swindon Railway Museum.  Since returning to steam in time for the Great Western Railway 150th Anniversary celebrations in 1985, 3440 has been a regular attraction at York's National Railway Museum as well as on main line excursions and preserved railways. Its latest restoration to full working order was undertaken in 2004, at a cost of £130,000, to mark the 100th anniversary of its record-breaking run.


As well as taking the opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the number, name and worksplate, the separation of the Great Western Railway 4-4-0 from its tender allowed some uncommon views of the footplate. Particularly noticeable were the now-mandatory overhead electrification warning sign on the underside of the cab roof and the painted data on the left hand side. As well as the TOPS identity of 98240 alongside the more familiar 3440, the 2000th locomotive to be outshopped from Swindon Works is also now limited to 60 mph or 35 mph running tender first - a far cry from 9 May 1904 when the then 13 month old "City" class locomotive became, according to Charles Rous-Marten of The Railway Magazine, the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph.


As well as taking the opportunity to re-acquaint myself with the number, name and worksplate, the separation of the Great Western Railway 4-4-0 from its tender allowed some uncommon views of the footplate. Particularly noticeable were the now-mandatory overhead electrification warning sign on the underside of the cab roof and the painted data on the left hand side. As well as the TOPS identity of 98240 alongside the more familiar 3440, the 2000th locomotive to be outshopped from Swindon Works is also now limited to 60 mph or 35 mph running tender first - a far cry from 9 May 1904 when the then 13 month old "City" class locomotive became, according to Charles Rous-Marten of The Railway Magazine, the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph.


Legend or not, moving a large railway locomotive by road is a major undertaking that involves both careful driving along a planned route and an exacting process of loading and unloading.  At Toddington on Wednesday 15 April 2009 a winch powered by an internal combustion engine was being used to slowly haul City of Truro's tender slowly up a railed ramp and aboard a three axle low loader.


Legend or not, moving a large railway locomotive by road is a major undertaking that involves both careful driving along a planned route and an exacting process of loading and unloading. At Toddington on Wednesday 15 April 2009 a winch powered by an internal combustion engine was being used to slowly haul City of Truro's tender slowly up a railed ramp and aboard a three axle low loader.


Legend or not, moving a large railway locomotive by road is a major undertaking that involves both careful driving along a planned route and an exacting process of loading and unloading. At Toddington on Wednesday 15 April 2009 a winch powered by an internal combustion engine was being used to slowly haul City of Truro's tender slowly up a railed ramp and aboard a three axle low loader.


Legend or not, moving a large railway locomotive by road is a major undertaking that involves both careful driving along a planned route and an exacting process of loading and unloading. At Toddington on Wednesday 15 April 2009 a winch powered by an internal combustion engine was being used to slowly haul City of Truro's tender slowly up a railed ramp and aboard a three axle low loader.


Ready to haul the trailer loaded with City of Truro's tender to Llangollen was this Volvo FH12 tractor - named "Mountain Countryman" - from the fleet of Lawson's Haulage Ltd of Cockermouth, Cumbria.


Ready to haul the trailer loaded with City of Truro's tender to Llangollen was this Volvo FH12 tractor - named "Mountain Countryman" - from the fleet of Lawson's Haulage Ltd of Cockermouth, Cumbria.


Ready to haul the trailer loaded with City of Truro's tender to Llangollen was this Volvo FH12 tractor - named "Mountain Countryman" - from the fleet of Lawson's Haulage Ltd of Cockermouth, Cumbria.


Ready to haul the trailer loaded with City of Truro's tender to Llangollen was this Volvo FH12 tractor - named "Mountain Countryman" - from the fleet of Lawson's Haulage Ltd of Cockermouth, Cumbria.


Ready to haul the trailer loaded with City of Truro's tender to Llangollen was this Volvo FH12 tractor - named "Mountain Countryman" - from the fleet of Lawson's Haulage Ltd of Cockermouth, Cumbria.