A full day in Devon featuring 4575 Class No.5553 in BR black with branch line passenger stock

About this event

We are delighted to be able to offer a full day of branch line steam photography at the beautiful South Devon Railway using Small Prairie No.5553 on a short train of carmine and cream Mark I coaches in the morning and on a maroon auto trailer and milk tank in the afternoon. This will allow us to recreate two authentic consists reminiscent of branch line working in the West Country in the 1950s and early 1960s and, being in deep mid-winter, should allow us some excellent opportunities given a modicum of clear, cold weather.

No.5553 is a Churchward-designed 4575 Class 2-6-2T which worked from Cornwall’s St Blazey Depot (83E) in the early 1960s and from where it was withdrawn in November 1961. The 4575 tanks had larger, sloping water tanks than their earlier 4500 classmates and appeared from 1927. Built at Swindon in 1928, No.5553 was also allocated to Bristol Bath Road, Yatton and Machynlleth sheds before moving to Cornwall for its final days in service. By March 1962 it had found its way to Woodham Brothers Scrap Yard at Barry in South Wales and was to become the longest serving resident there, not being rescued until 1990 as the last loco to leave; 5553 was returned to steam in preservation for the first time in 2002. The locomotive is now owned by The Waterman Railway Heritage Trust and based at Peak Rail in Derbyshire.

Our day will start and finish at Buckfastleigh Station where ample free parking is available. You can expect an 07.45 meet for a planned 08.15 start. The locomotive will be facing chimney first towards Totnes which should give us some excellent photo opportunities during the early and later parts of the day at different locations. We will start with the carmine and cream set and switch to the maroon auto-trailer and milk tank later in the day. Use of the auto-trailer means we will need to limit the number of places available to around thirty people.

We are extremely grateful to the locomotive’s owners The Waterman Railway Heritage Trust, Bodmin & Wenford Railway for the loan and of course the host South Devon Railway for facilitating this event. We hope you will want to join us for this early-year charter which, when run in previous years, has been blessed with excellent weather and produced great photographic results.

Image of 4555 is for illustrative purposes only and shows the excellent imagery available on the South Devon Railway.

 

Event requirements

Equipment

• Spare batteries
• Camera
• Lense cloths
• Filters
• Lenses
• Camera protection - rain covers etc

Other things you should bring

• Snacks
• Bottled water

Knowledge

• All levels welcome

Fitness

• Medium

Other essentials

• High vis jacket
• Sturdy outdoor shoes
• Warm clothing
• Wet weather gear