FGW Sheffield - Exeter Charter

[whole diary]

[ReWind]

Nice to see that the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) special staff service from Sheffield - Exeter went well today! 

Not often you get to see a FGW class 158 unit in the midlands and north!  I know the train was crewed by Gloucester crew, but with the obvious lack of route knowledge, does anyone know who provided the route instructors?

[anthony215]

crosscountry perhaps?

[ReWind]

Hearing rumour it was West Coast Charter Company that provided piloting duties but yet to be 100% confirmed!

[fatcontroller]

West Coast would be the correct answer.

It wasn't a staff special - It was transporting various Community Rail groups to the Community Rail Conference in Sheffield.

They obviously don't like Voyagers!!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

found some photos on flickr (not mine)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/railphotosonline/6185472068/in/contacts/

[eightf48544]

Any Coffee shop contributors on board?

How did the conference go?

[RichardB]

I was on the train to Sheffield (but not back, Bees at Oldham). We had been primed for a 150/2 so a 158 was a bonus.

It was a really good way of getting a load of us from the three Partnerships to Sheffield and back.  I suspect that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) managers and staff enjoyed parking their 158 tank on Northern's Sheffield lawn (but they kept all that to themselves!)   Seriously, it was a very stylish gesture and certainly saved FGW issuing warrants for travel on CrossCountry.  A lovely trip and good to see 172s on the old GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) W Midlands line as we waited to take the freight only direct spur to the Derby line.  The train ran exactly as planned.

We were all going to the National Community Rail Awards in City Hall, Sheffield.  FGW and its Partnerships had another very good night - full details here http://www.acorp.uk.com/2011%20Awards%20winners.html

Next year, Steam in Swindon.  Will Northern run a train to the event.......

Richard Burningham
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership

[JayMac]

(but not back, Bees at Oldham).

I'm unsure of the reference, but that sounds like one of the train delay excuses heard on 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'

 

[RichardB]

Oldham Athletic 0 - Brentford 2

They do a very nice pie at Boundary Park.....

[grahame]

We were all going to the National Community Rail Awards in City Hall, Sheffield.  FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and its Partnerships had another very good night - full details here http://www.acorp.uk.com/2011%20Awards%20winners.html

Congratulations to all the groups and individuals who won places or were shortlisted.  Only when you get involved in the sort of activities that the awards celebrate do you realise just how much planning and hard work goes into so many schemes.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) press release:

FIRST GREAT WESTERN LEADS THE WAY AT COMMUNITY RAIL AWARDS

Train operator First Great Western (FGW) and its community rail partners scooped 10 prizes and 2 commendations at the annual Community Rail Awards (ACoRP^▸ (Association of Community Rail Partnerships)). 

For the second year running, FGW was named overall winner for its ^Outstanding Delivery of the Community Rail Strategy.^

The annual ceremony celebrates outstanding achievement in community rail development and recognises the relationships fostered between train operators and their local communities. As well as taking out the top prize, First Great Western^s strong partnership with community rail was recognised across a series of categories:

^        Devon and Cornwall Community Rail Partnership were awarded first prize for Best Community Rail Event, and second prize for Involving Young People. Volunteer Rachel Nafzger was also recognised with second prize award for Outstanding Volunteer Contribution.

^        The Heart of Wessex partnership took out first prize in the Photo Competition, and were also highly commended for Best Community Rail Event and the Outstanding Teamwork Award.

^        Severnside Community Rail Partnership won first prize for Best Marketing Publication, and third prize for Community Arts Schemes.

^        First Prize for Outstanding Volunteer was won by John Phillips of the TARKA Rail Association. 

^        And second prize in Best Community Rail Event went to the AVOCET Rail Users Group .

First Great Western^s Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, said: ^These awards are testament to all the hard work of the community rail partnerships and a dedication to a partnership approach with the partnerships, local authorities and Network Rail. We work closely with the partnerships in our region on a day-to-day basis and we feel great pride to be recognised as the industry leader in community rail. ^

On a personal note - as an employee of the Severnside CRP^▸ (Community Rail Partnership):

I'm delighted that we won an award for our Progress Report, which has appeared (with favourable responses) on this forum earlier in the year, and the Filton Abbey Wood leaflet.  No, I didn't have any involvement in the production of those particular items myself: all of the credit is due to Keith Walton and Heather Cullimore for those!

However, I did do just a little bit of measuring up and painting at Bedminster station - so I'll claim an 'assist' on that one ... 

And I'd also like to congratulate my colleagues in the other local CRPs - Devon and Cornwall, and Heart of Wessex, and the teams on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) and Avocet^▸ (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) lines, for their awards.

Chris. 

[JayMac]

May I add to those congratulations. Well done all.

Here's hoping that the Greater Western TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) continues its excellent working relationships with CRPs^▸ (Community Rail Partnership) (old and new ) well into the future.