Recently removed from the Great Hall at York – its home since 1992 – the Great Western Railway Star class 4003 “Lode Star” is on its way to STEAM, The Museum of the Great Western Railway at Swindon.
However, the 175th Anniversary of the GWR was too good an opportunity to miss for having the Star on display at one of the rare public open days at Tyseley Locomotive Works (also known as Birmingham Railway Museum) on 24th October.
I was visiting family and needed to deliver some loco parts to Tyseley, so we popped by to see some Great Westernry in the autumn sunshine – had it been raining, the Star would have had to remain inside.
Along with Lode Star, many other locos were present, including resident 4965 “Rood Ashton Hall”, which was working the passenger train with 5029 “Nunney Castle”. This was after 5029 had been posed alongside the Star, which was its predecessor.
Workshop tours were being given and other displays and trade stands gave a good atmosphere to the event. In addition, regular demonstrations of the turntable made good viewing, and the presence of LMS Black 5 45305 and 6201 “Princess Elizabeth” reminded us that their designer William Stanier started his railway career at the GWR’s Swindon works.
Anyhow, some pictures to give a flavour of the event!
