Welcome to the Rudloe and environs website.
Here you will find news, articles and photos of an area that straddles the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in north-west Wiltshire.
Contributions in the form of articles or photos are welcome. Even those with completely contrary views to mine!
Thanks to the website builder 1&1 and Rob Brown for the original idea.
Rudloescene now, in January 2014, has a sister, academic rather than anarchic, website about Box history here: http://www.boxpeopleandplaces.co.uk/
It contains thoroughly professional, well-researched articles about Box and its people.
Contact rudloescene through the 'Contact' page.
Members of the Box Gentleman's Interest Group taking guided tours of both the steam and diesel workshops at Toddington on the Gloucester & Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) on 20th September 2018
Box Gentleman's Interest Group en route (the M5) to the GWSR in grim weather on 20th September 2018
This view of the coach during a 'comfort break' at Gloucester Services shows the dreadful weather that the driver had to contend with
Our first view of the railway at Cheltenham Racecourse Station showing the lovely skew bridge behind some of the many (Scots) pines to be found here and ... at many other stations* across the old GWR (note Great Western) network
*Our charming host ('hostess' doesn't sound quite right) Sheila from Bury (Lancashire) in the GIG carriage provided some information which made me think 'why the hell had I not thought of that before' ... this was that pine trees are/were to be found at many stations across the old GWR network. Sheila told us that this was a GWR policy to enable passengers to locate country stations. It never crossed my mind that the pines at, for example, Bathampton Junction (Scots) or Hullavington (larch) were there by (railway) design.
Heading down, in the rain, to catch our train at Cheltenham Racecourse Station (note the Scots pines beyond)
General view of Cheltenham Racecourse Station and its Scots pines
And here's the view the other way towards the skew bridge
Our carriage awaits on the 10:55
The view from the train whilst waiting for departure
All manner of railway paraphernalia at the privately-owned Gotherington Station (note the Scots pines)
The station platforms are long as seen here at Winchcombe; the station buildings, staff and gardens are immaculate along the length of the line
Two reprobates buy Rail Ales (someone can't wait to get his hand on it) from buffet car staff David and Helen, two of the more than nine-hundred volunteers on the GWSR. Twas a bit early for alcohol but it slipped down nicely.
The end of the line at present. On Broadway Station with Scots pines and puddles.
A director of the GWSR gives an introduction before the tours of the steam and diesel workshops and the yard
The nameplate of GWSR's pride and joy, Bulleid Pacific 4-6-2 35006 'Peninsular & Orient Steam Navigation Company' in the steam workshop
In the Toddington works yard with a boiler and frame and a couple of diesel shunters with a 'Peak' class diesel beyond the shunter at right
English Electric diesel/electric E6036 in the workshop yard. These locos can use either their own diesel engine or pick up a 750 volt third-rail supply - they were (of course) used on British Railways Southern Region (which uses the third rail supply)
Another view of the Toddington workshop yard illustrating the scale of the GWSR enterprise
GIG members learn about the Class 20 diesel locomotive (D8137) with the GWSR narrow-gauge line running behind
Bogies, brambles and ballast twixt the workshop yard and the narrow-gauge line
A beast of a diesel engine being used for spares in the diesel workshop
GIG members in the diesel workshop on this fascinating tour
Foremarke Hall arrives at Toddington with our return train
Foremarke Hall comes to a halt beyond one of GWSR's lovely bridges
After taking water, Foremarke Hall runs around, under the skew bridge, to head the train back to Broadway
Hawksworth Modified Hall 4-6-0 7903 Foremarke Hall taking water at Cheltenham Racecourse Station on the GWSR
A locomotive boiler, frame and running gear in the works yard at Toddington by Varian Tye
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