Steam: Didcot Fire Fly broad gauge engine

Fire Fly is a reproduction of the 1840 original stem engine run on Brunel's broad gauge railway at Didcot railway centre.

It hauls an open wooden carriage with wooden plank seats. It's the only train with an outside toilet.

Is this Boris Johnson's replacement for the London bendy buses?

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• firefly
• steam
• Didcot
• Berkshire
• GWR
• platform
• FGW
• broad
• gauge

[mechanicsnut]

Firefly is such a wonderful loco, it would be an honor to work on her, just for one day. Who would not want to stand on that footplate and get to see and hear what drivers of that era would have! It's as close to time travel as I will ever see in my lifetime.

[KINGANDCASTLE]

@mechanicsnut There aren't too many controls and levers to deal with on Firefly. It's nice and simple.

[AdmanFatman]

Shame didcot dont have more track.

but they said they wanted a working museum not a railway, so thats what they did i suppose.

nice to see that broadgage isnt forgotten :P

[KINGANDCASTLE]

The main line trains running parallel to the steam engines can be good.

[drob1980]

It's quite an achievement. As recently found with A1 60163 Tornado nothing is impossible - a full - length preserved broad gauge railway - I wonder if it is possible or will it always be an enigma?

[KINGANDCASTLE]

Leave it to the Japanese!

[moonheaver]

@drob1980 I did see an idea put forward some years back that the Brixham branch from Churston on the South Devon Railway could be restored as a short broad gauge line (which of course it was originally). It could be practical being only about 4 miles in length and it was said most of the alignment is still there...

[KINGANDCASTLE]

At least they didn't have to put up with Dr Beeching

[1waytrip]

well ventalation is good lol theres no roof lol and as for rain cover what ya see is what ya got

[KINGANDCASTLE]

Good ventilation and rain cover?