Behind the scenes of the Swindon and Cricklade Railway

Being a steam train enthusiast myself, I was keen to get a behind-the-scenes tour of how it all worked with the team of volunteers.

The Swindon and Cricklade Railway forms part of the old Midland and South Western Junction Railway which ran from Cheltenham to Andover via Swindon.

After closing completely in 1970, a preservation society was set up in 1978. From that the idea of reopening the line as a heritage railway was born.

The railway reopened a short section of track in 1985 between Blunsdon and Hayes Knoll before the line was extended south in 2012 to Taw Valley Halt on the outskirts of Mouldon Hill Country Park.

It is solely run by volunteers from cleaners and shopkeepers to engine drivers and maintenance teams.

Additionally, the railway has the honour of being Wiltshire’s only standard gauge railway.

Publicity manager Allan Bott tells me: “The current railhead is down at the cutting at Fairfield Lane, there used to be a bridge back in the 60s when the railway was originally there.

“That was unfortunately demolished and filled in the late 60s early 70s. We are now in preparations to look at how much it would to put in a new bridge.

“We are having meetings with a guy who is an expert on structures like bridges, so we are having a meeting to find out the estimated costs.

“We are hoping to open the extension at least this year, so people can get a view of where we are and it gives them a bit of an extra ride towards Cricklade.”

During my visit, I was met by publicity manager Allan Bott, who showed me around the workshops, before taking me to see the railway’s pride and joy, the Great Western Railway locomotive 0-6-2 tank Number 6695.

The locomotive is currently nearing the end of a long overhaul and the railway hopes to have it back in service in August.

The railway has been without a steam locomotive this year, following the sale of Swordfish.

Swordfish was a small steam locomotive that was based on the railway until April, when the owners of the engine decided to sell up.

The locomotive then subsequently moved to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton near Aylesbury.

“We have seen a small dip in visitor numbers because we don’t have a steam locomotive," said Allan.

“The average family likes to see a steam loco, but unfortunately, we don’t have one that’s in service.

As a result, the railway has had to rely on diesel power to haul trains up and down the line.

However, the overhaul is very close to completion with all the cab fittings now installed along with the smokebox.

The engine has now been moved to Hayes Knoll for painting.

During my visit in June, volunteers were busily working on the front vacuum pipe and superheater elements.

Allan allowed me to jump on the footplate of the locomotive, where I was able to see what a steam engine looks like without its cab fittings or cab floor.

The red lever operates as the reverser and controls the direction of the locomotive

You can find out more about the restoration here

Next thing I got to see was the 35011 General Steam Navigation.

Currently owned by the General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society, the locomotive is undergoing initial stages of restoration.

The plan is to restore the locomotive to full-working order over the next ten years at a cost of £1.5-£2m.

“What we are doing, which is unique in preservation, is actually restoring her back to her original early 1950s condition,” said director Graham Musprat.

You can find out more about General Steam Navigation here.

The railway has suffered in the past with mindless acts of vandalism taking place.

In June 2021, volunteers were left devastated after a newly restored-wagon was destroyed by a fire.

During the same incident doors and windows of a nearby carriage were smashed causing thousands of pounds in damage.

In May 2016, fire destroyed a vintage diesel unit at the Hayes Knoll end of the line, causing more than £100,000 of damage. And just a year later, a 58-year-old coach was damaged in another arson attack.

The railway continues to suffer from trespassers with a group of children being caught by volunteers in July 2022.

In a previous interview, Allan told me: “We still get a lot of vandalism at the railway as the summer months draw in. It always seems young children who trespass on the railway and causes some damage.

“When a loco is hurtling towards at 15mph it’s quite a scary thing and there have been incidences in the past where I have been driving, a bunch of teens have jumped out at the last minute and I’ve had to pull an emergency stop.”

After this, I was given a trip along the railway from Blunsdon to Hayes Knoll and then down towards Taw Valley Halt, near Moulden Hill Country Park.

At Taw Valley Halt, I was able to go lineside to watch the locomotive run around its train.

I was then given a mini cab ride, where I was shown how the locomotive works before it backed onto the coaches.

At Hayes Knoll, I was able to see where the locomotives are kept and for a small railway, the shed is pretty impressive.

The signal box at Hayes Knoll. As there are no working signals or ground frame. The second man has to operate the signal box

After returning to Blunsdon, I took one last look before leaving the site.

It was fantastic to meet the volunteers who do so much to keep this small railway running.

The railway hopes to extend to Cricklade in the not-too-distant future.

It is currently open every Wednesday during August as well as every weekend.

Events are also planned for the remaining part of the year with the famous Santa Specials taking place in December.

Thomas the Tank Engine will also be visiting the railway at the end of August.