Friends of Vintage Trains

Today Vintage Trains are pleased to welcome many of the Friends of the Shakespeare Line station adopters onto the Shakespeare Express- thanks for all you do to make the North Warwickshire line so attractive. Have a great afternoon.

Our nobel steed on today’s Shakespeare Express is the magnificent 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. Here she is at Birmingham Snow Hill ready to be coupled up to the train. Don’t forget to wave at us as we travel along the North Warwickshire line to Stratford-upon-Avon.

Unbelievably it’s the penultimate summer Shakespeare Express and 7020 Clun Castle is being serviced ready for the lunchtime journey back to Birmingham Snow Hill - where has the summer gone? Don’t forget to wave if you see the train speeding through to Birmingham.

Great to see 7029 Clun Castle hauling the Shakespeare Express through Olton Station today - what a wonderful sight on a gorgeous afternoon!

66 years ago yesterday, 11 August 1968, the last steam hauled service train ran on the BR Network - happily our friends at Vintage Trains are still keeping our mainline heritage alive as can be seen by 7029 Clun Castle running around at Birmingham Snow Hill yesterday in preparation for the Shakespeare Express to Stratford. It’s good to see our heritage is alive and kicking.

Getting ready for the off - 7029 Clun Castle is simmering at Birmingham Snow Hill ready to make the first trip hauling the Shakespeare Express today. Don’t forget to wave if you see us travelling through the beautiful Warwickshire countryside.

If you are in the Wythall area on Sunday train spotting the Shakespeare Express then you may also like to take in a trip to the sunflower field at Becketts Farm, Wythall. It’s just starting to reach full bloom. Wythall Transport Museum, just around the corner from Becketts, is also open every weekend in August so that’s a lovely day out for all!

The flower beds at Tyseley Station are looking so colourful at the moment, the Station Adopters are doing a grand job.

Today, on Armistice Day, we remember all those of our Railway family and Services men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. You are not forgotten.

The Friends of Vintage Trains would like to congratulate King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation yesterday. It was a magnificent occasion. Here we see the King, when Prince of Wales, at Tyseley depot in 1988.

The railway environment is often referred to as ‘male dominated’ but, on International Women’s Day we celebrate the many lovely ladies who work tirelessly on the trains and behind the scenes like Dot and Sharon here - thank you all, you are invaluable 🚂

To all our wonderful Welsh members “Lechyd da” hope you have a great St David’s Day. We look forward to visiting South Wales on 12 March with a Class 37 diesel but here, in the meantime, is a pic of Clun Castle just to cheer up our day!

In good fellowship to our Scottish Friends, we wish you an enjoyable Burns night. We are looking forward to our next social event on 15 April where Mike Corbett, the NRM project manager for the iconic Flying Scotsman’s 2016 restoration will be our guest speaker. Slainte Meath

The Friends of Vintage Trains’ calendar carries a monthly historical note … for January it’s: “GWR Locomotive 5553 was the last locomotive to leave Woodhams Scrapyard in January 1990”. Always grateful to Woodhams for saving as many as they did…

Birmingham Moor Street felt delightfully strange last Sunday, the only trains running into the station all day were the Polar Express operated by Vintage Trains. This begged the question “When was the last steam-only running day at Moor Street?” - Our archivists think it was 1957!

Our 2023 calendar has been selling well but there are still a few to be snapped up either from the Centenary Lounge at Birmingham Moor Street, Leamington Station or via our website FriendsofVT.org.uk - priced at £6, plus P&P if applicable.

Our next members Social Event is on Saturday 15th April at the Tyseley Working Men’s Club.
The speaker will be Mike Corbett, a Friend of Vintage Trains and a volunteer. He will be speaking about his project management experience during the restoration of Flying Scotsman. There will also be buffet and raffle during the break. This is an opportunity not to be missed, so if you're not already a member visit our website (https://friendsofvt.org.uk/about/joining-fovt) for details on how to become one so you can join our socials and other benefits.

Joining The Friends of Vintage Trains - Friends of Vintage Trains To join the Friends of Vintage Trains please download the Friends of Vintage Trains leaflet (PDF, 1264 KB) which includes a membership application form. There is also a stand-alone membership form (PDF, 82 KB) available, which can be printed on standard A4 paper which may be easier to complete. Once...

Welcome to the wonderful world of volunteering … but despite the awful weather at Tyseley today, our intrepid volunteers can find a dry spot to work in - keep up the good work, lads!
If you’d like to join our team please visit our website https://friendsofvt.org.uk for more details.

Today, as with everyday, we remember with gratitude those from our Railway family and beyond, who gave their all. We will never forget.

As some of you already know, work has commenced on the restoration of the Sutton Miniature Railway stock at Tyseley. This is a wonderful opportunity for volunteers to really get involved in the restoration and future operation of these famous and much loved 15" gauge trains.

We are now launching our first phase of our fundraising campaign to raise an initial £25000 to kickstart to project. All funds raised will be ringfenced specifically to this project and progress updates will be provided here.

Your help and support will be much appreciated.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/smr

Climbing the Lickey Incline

the Hall and Castle at Uffingham on the Great Western main line

Styles of the past

Leaving Whiteball Tunnel.

Record breaking run.

In the snow, photo by Clive Hanley

Ready for action.

Mainline steam at its very best, 7029 Clun Castle climbs to Sapperton.

Castles at Tyseley

Under the bridge. 5043 runs along the Kennet and Avon Canal at Crofton.