5051 Drysllwyn Castle/Earl Bathurst- Barry to Didcot

[2010ditta]

Thanks for replying. One other question if you dont mind. What kind of condition was she in, she looks pretty good to me judging by the pics,. and seeing that she was only at Barry for a few years?.

[mvjedforest]

@2010ditta Yes, 5051 was in excellent condition, and had a trouble-free journey to Didcot (at 25mph) except for triggering a hot-box detector before Gloucester. On inspection, there was no evidence of overheating. The restoration at Didcot took a long time because being a large 4 cyl loco, there was much more (in size and number of parts) to overhaul to main-line standard, and of course, the costs are greater for a large loco...Mervyn

[2010ditta]

Excellent little video. At 1.18 you can see my house on the main road at mon. bank sidings. One little quibble, the bridge in the backgroundat 0.44 is it the one at severn tunnel junction? Looks like it.

[mvjedforest]

@2010ditta You are quite possibly right. I've just looked at the vid again, and compared it with my shot of 5322 leaving Barry (also available on my channel) and I think that I might have put it out of sequence and confused it with the footbridge at Barry when I scanned my old colour slides. I don't actually remember stopping at Severn Tunnel junction, but it was 40 years ago and it was bitterly cold, so I am blaming a frozen brain!! Thank you for watching...Mervyn

[r0g3r5m1th]

I'm a bit old now and the memories going,but I seem to remember that there were two or maybe even three Drysllwyn Castles over the years all of which were renamed,a very sad thing in my mind being welsh, and though not technically correct we always thought of them as "Our Castles"

[mvjedforest]

@r0g3r5m1th I also feel sad about the renaming- I much prefer the original name, but at least the GWR did not do it as often as the present rail companies. Thanks for watching. Mervyn

[robmasterman]

What an excellent set of images Mervyn, I wasn't aware that you had been uploading. It was great see see this old Llanelly based engine being moved from Barry to Didcot, I was also lucky to have ridden the footplate of Hinton Manor from Barry to Kidderminster on a bitterly cold night in the early 70's...Bob

[mvjedforest]

@robmasterman It was quite an experience, Bob, but biiterly cold like your trip so I was glad to get in the Hymek cab to warm up!

[ADMIRALSCORNER]

Wonderful photos! You may care to see a video I have just uploaded of Drysiiwyn Castle from the winter of 1987.

[mvjedforest]

@ADMIRALSCORNER Thank you Michael. Your comments are much appreciated. I've just watched your video from 1987 as suggested and I was very impressed. It looks great in the snow, but awfully cold!! Mervyn

[ADMIRALSCORNER]

@mvjedforest Hi Mervyn I/m glad you saw the video.You must have been closely associated with bringing the loco back to life which is great. I wonder, can you enlighten me as how it later it came to change its name?

[mvjedforest]

@ADMIRALSCORNER Hi Michael. 5051 was originally Drysllwyn Castle as built in 1936, but changed to Earl Bathurst (formerly on a Dukedog) in 1937, reason unknown to me-perhaps others may know? regards, Mervyn.

[r0g3r5m1th]

@mvjedforest ,The reason as I believe it was none other than Earl Bathurst (the man) thought a DukeDog as being unworthy of his name ?.I suppose though that they did not,after all, have the looks (or prestige of a Castle Class Loco..