Trains passing through Culham
2024
A few steam hauled specials passed through Culham during 2024 but this year was probably most noteable for the first visit of some special diesel locomotives including D1015 Western Courier, the Crompton D6515 and 57311 looking splendid it its lined black livery and yellow snow plough.
The weekend of 14th and 15th September 2024 saw the Old Ticket Office opening its doors for the public to explore as part of the national Heritage Open Days scheme. It was made rather special by the Royal Scot paying us its third visit of the year on the Sunday morning. All the visitors to the ticket office decamped onto both platforms to enjoy its passing.
West Midlands Railway 2 car set 172004
26th November 2024
5043 Earl of Mount Edgecumbe with a private charter
21st October 2024
43467 and 43423 going to the Severn Valley Railway
19th October 2024
7029 Clun Castle leading 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
26th September 2024
46100 Royal Scot leading The Welsh Dragon railtour
15th September 2024
57311 with an empty stock move to the Swanage Railway
3rd September 2024
7000 Britannia going from Paddington to Bath Spa
22nd August 2024
46100 Royal Scot returning from Oxford to Haywards Heath
13th July 2024
37418 An Comunn Gaidhealach and Caroline
2nd July 2024
47712 being towed from Eastleigh to Crewe
24th June 2024
D6515 en-route from Tyseley to Eastleigh
10th June 2024
West Midlands Railway class 172 2-car set
1st June 2024
Western Courier with the 'English Riviera Airshow' special
1st June 2024
7029 Clun Castle with the 1Z48 railtour
10th May 2024
D6515 en-route to Hinksey Reception Sidings
3rd May 2024
D1015 Western Courier in transit to Paddington
14th April 2024
46100 Royal Scot with the Cotswold Explorer
16th March 2024
43274 and test train
22nd February 2024
D6851 Flopsie and 37409 Loch Awe
22nd February 2024
D8098 and D8107 (20096 and 20107)
9th February 2024
2023
March 2023 saw the first double header steam train for a very long time when 7029 Clun Castle led 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on the way from Birmingham Snow Hill to Didcot. After turning and watering, they were to take their place at the Didcot Railway Centre alongside 4079 Pendennis Castle and 5051 Drysllwyn Castle for a rare opportunity to photograph four Castle class locomotives reunited. 5043 had only completed final steam trials the week before following a major overhaul at Tyseley, and this ten coach special train was a private charter for CBS shareholders returning to Birmingham later in the afternoon. A second visit of the pair heading a train was scheduled for 10th June, but the route was changed a few weeks prior when the line was closed for urgent repairs to the Nuneham bridge.
5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe with The Merchant Venturer
5th December 2023
46115 Scots Guardsman with the Capital Christmas Express
25th November 2023
Cross Country HST 43008 leading the Pines Express
26th September 2023
Chiltern Trains 2 car set 165015
10th July 2023
7029 Clun Castle
24th June 2023
57309 Pride of Crewe
23rd March 2023
5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe leading 7029 Clun Castle
4th March 2023
7029 Clun Castle leading 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe
4th March 2023
2022
January 2022 saw a continuation of the test runs of the GWR class 769 (Flex) tri-mode units, but no railtours were scheduled to pass through until the February. Sometimes other commitments mean we are not able to record interesting visitors. One such in January was the empty stock movement of the Blue Pullman set from Crewe to Eastleigh with power cars 43049 and 43047 in charge, returning early the following week. It was being positioned for a railtour from Eastleigh to Carlisle a few days later and we are grateful to Chris Suitters for sending us his photograph of the train appproaching Culham.
Midland Pullman
10th December 2022
7029 Clun Castle
6th December 2022
700000 Britannia
26th November 2022
D8107 Jocelyn Fielding and D8096
9th November 2022
37668 leading the Cotswold Caper
29th October 2022
D1935 Roger Hosking MA
26th October 2022
43047 leading the Midland Pullman set
28th August 2022
43049 Neville Hill and single coach
16th August 2022
LMS 7P 6233 Duchess of Sutherland
14th July 2022
47815 Great Western
4th July 2022
D1924 Crewe Diesel Depot
3rd July 2022
67005 Queen's Messenger
2nd July 2022
GWR Castle Class Clun Castle
11th June 2022
47812 and the Northern Belle
1st June 2022
Class 37s 37688 Great Rocks and D6817
24th May 2022
Hastins DEMU 'Worcester Sauce' railtour
7th May 2022
50008 Thunderer and 50034 Furious
22nd April 2022
LNER class A3 60103 Flying Scotsman
13th March 2022
GWR Castle Class Clun Castle
5th March 2022
LNER class A3 60103 Flying Scotsman
5th March 2022
DRS 57309 Pride of Crewe
20th February 2022
Rail Operations Group's 37800 Cassiopeia
9th February 2022
43049 leading Blue Pullman set
19th January 2022. Photograph © Chris Suitters
