MAY 9, 1964: CLUN CASTLE’S DATE WITH DESTINY
THE March issue of The RM told the story of how GWR ‘Castle’ No. 4079 Pendennis Castle secured its place in preservation, highlighting the role it played on the famous Ian Allan ‘Z48’ railtour of May 9, 1964 and its influence on the loco’s subsequent survival.
Yet No. 4079 was not the only surviving ‘Castle’ to work on that history-making tour. Its younger classmate No. 7029 Clun Castle is now best-known at the flagship of the Tyseley/Vintage Trains operation, but on that May day it propelled itself into the record books, and in doing so virtually guaranteed its continued existence. The story of that journey, and the exploits of Clun Castle, is what follows.
As the 1960s approached its mid-point British Railways’ Western Region (BR(W)) steam was well into its twilight years. The highly lauded ‘King’ class 4-6-0s had all disappeared in 1962, and by the start of 1964 it appeared the popular ‘Castles’ were not far behind.
Of the 171 ‘Castles’ built at Swindon (or converted from other types like the ‘Stars’) between 1923 and 1959, fewer than one-fifth remained in service.
It was clear the ‘Castles’, and BR(W) steam in general, did not have long left. Consequently, it was felt by many that this most successful express class should have one final fling before the end came. Fortunately, the team at Ian Allan Publishing and the Western Region’s management had just the ticket.
May 9, 1964, marked 60 years to the day since No. 3440 City of Truro reputedly touched 102.3mph during its descent of Wellington Bank in Somerset while hauling the ‘Ocean Mails’ from Plymouth to Paddington.
Even today the authenticity of this claim is still being debated, but for BR(W) in 1964 it provided the perfect excuse to try for something special, and prove once and for all why the ‘Castles’ deserved their enviable reputation.
especially for the trip. The return leg would
