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Haileybury Society Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Visit

Haileybury Society: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Visit

It is not so often that OH gatherings involve looking at the scattered parts of a railway locomotive or helping to sort the mail in a former Travelling Post Office.  However both of these formed part of the Haileybury Society visit to the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton on 17 September 2014.

Thirteen people, OHs and their guests, took part. Roland Gillott (A 61), who is a volunteer at the Centre, led the visit with his brother, Humphrey Gillott (A 58), a former Railway Chaplain who is now involved with main line steam excursions as a support crew member.  The Centre extends to 25 acres.  In the morning there was a tour during which we saw locomotives and carriages in the course of overhaul or restoration, and in the afternoon those attending were able to look round on their own.  We were fortunate in meeting volunteers working on projects while we were there.  As one of those taking part in the visit commented afterwards “…the different volunteers we spoke to couldn't have been more helpful towards us”.  In the course of the tour, we heard about bringing large exhibits back from overseas, and learnt something of what is involved in restoring a locomotive after years in the scrapyard.

Linked to this, we also learnt about the debt which the heritage railway movement owes to a scrap merchant in South Wales, Dai Woodham of the Woodham Brothers’ Scrapyard in Barry, who chose to break up railway wagons before he went on to the locomotives.  As a result, there were locomotives available to be acquired when the railway heritage movement got underway. 

In a talk given by Humphrey after lunch, we heard how those who arrange main line steam excursions now (such as Steam Dreams, the company founded by Marcus Robertson (A 69)) cope with the lack of steam railway infrastructure across the network, for example arranging their own supplies of water on the way.  Humphrey also referred to the naming of the “Battle of Britain” class locomotive 34109 after Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory (M 06), the distinguished air commander during the Second World War, who tragically died in a plane crash in the French Alps on his way to take up a new position.

Overall, it was an enjoyable way to meet up with other OHs and their guests.  Although this event was likely to be of most interest to those within easy driving distance of Quainton, it may be that there are other OHs who volunteer at other attractions, such as National Trust properties or stately homes (or who just enjoy visiting them), who will be willing to host similar gatherings.  In that way a number of informal OH gatherings could take place in different parts of the country, within reach of different sections of the Society's membership.

By Roland Gillott (A 61)

Originally Written: 03-Dec-2014 11:48, Last Updated: 03-Dec-2014 11:51