The Gipping Valley Railway

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The Gipping Valley Railway A 5” gauge railway located in the mid Suffolk area with close proximity to the GE mainline.

A few snaps from our first running weekend this year. We didn’t think the weather would play ball - but overall we were ...
02/03/2026

A few snaps from our first running weekend this year. We didn’t think the weather would play ball - but overall we were let off lightly. A slight downpour here and there made for some interesting track conditions! Very slippery at times but even so a lot of fun had by all! 😊

Motive power wise, 5472 made its return for the season, and the ever impressive red simplex also made an appearance on Saturday, running along side the 5 and the standard 2. Which was very well liked by all who had a go on the very sensitive regulator!! The opportunity to double head couldn’t be passed up with both the 2 and the 5 taking 6 coaches and a van with ease. (With the 2 doing most of the work 🙈) On the diesel side, Both the 37 and the wickham trolley came out to play, as did the 33 mostly on shunting duties.

Thanks as always for checking in, see you next time 😎

Well yesterday was testing day for the standard 2. Some light engine runs and both freight and passenger workings, the e...
11/01/2026

Well yesterday was testing day for the standard 2. Some light engine runs and both freight and passenger workings, the engine performed really well despite the very slippery rail head conditions. Surprisingly strong for its size 78065 is a very welcome addition to the railway 😃

No rest for the wicked though, maintenance on the railway and other locos continues despite the outside temperatures, ready for when the better weather finally arrives🤞

07/01/2026

After all the weather we’ve had this week, the other new arrival trundles off for an Inspection of the line! 😎

I wasn’t going to post this yet, but…. Christmas might have come early to us here at the railway - as we bid a very warm...
23/12/2025

I wasn’t going to post this yet, but…. Christmas might have come early to us here at the railway - as we bid a very warm welcome to our newest addition to the Gipping stable: BR standard 2 No. 78065 ‘Iris’.

Many thanks to Simon and the team at The Steam Workshop for their efforts on this one, she looks absolutely stunning. Shame we have to wait until the new year to throw a fire in her!

On that note, we wish all our followers a very Merry Christmas, and a happy new year. No running now until next year as I am back to work tomorrow morning!! However, 2026 will be a big year for our little railway and the locos will hopefully be out and about visiting places. I for one cannot wait. Especially to see what this little gem has to offer!

Many thanks as always and Happy Christmas!! 🎅

Another update from the railway! A lot of work this week both on the p-way side and in the shed! Firstly on Sunday the r...
20/11/2025

Another update from the railway! A lot of work this week both on the p-way side and in the shed!

Firstly on Sunday the run round loop was relaid with 21mm rail as opposed to the 16mm. This actually didn’t take as long as I thought it would, and this meant that I could then add a point lever to the other side of the single slip over in the shed area on the other side of the railway before the wet weather came to ruin my fun. 🌧️

Inside the shed, lots of work this week surrounding a brake van that I picked up a while back. Stripped down, works where required reassembled and repainted in a few days and the finished result looks lovely I think - Just needs some lamp irons which I will get round to at somepoint! Before the brake van work, the southern CCT received attention to its axles and axle boxes. After sorting out the wheelsets and boxes it was reassembled and then today the opportunity was taken to run a small van train behind the 33 to check all was well with both the new brake van and the CCT, and thankfully it was!

My thanks to Marcus for his assistance with the the track work and work on the CCT 😃

I have also started on some loco maintenance. The simplex has begun to recieve works to the piston rings, and drain c***s. By design simplexes don’t include cylinder drain c***s. The cylinders are quite low on a simplex and therefore are at risk of being crushed or torn off in the event of a derailment or permanent way issues… To overcome this, I’d fitted one central block with the four feeds piped into it, it works… but not well enough. Some refinement necessary! The piston ring work involved machining the groves in the head to accommodate the cast iron rings, one side has been completed with one more to finish off. Further works include a little tidy up of the paint work at the bottom end, as well as mending the mechanical lubricator. This maintenance will hopefully be finished this side of Christmas. 🎄

Thank you as ever for checking in on us! I’m back to work now for a very busy festive period… However! Stay tuned for something very exciting soon 👀

It’s been a while again! But I’m back for most of November, so some works and other jobs can progress!Starting with a re...
10/11/2025

It’s been a while again! But I’m back for most of November, so some works and other jobs can progress!

Starting with a relay. The old shed area had been a bit neglected recently. So I made the decision to lift the track from the run round point up to the shed, scrape out the ballast, relay and reballast with added wood stops to stop the ballast falling away into next doors garden underneath the fence. Overall, it looks much neater and will be less of a rollercoaster when you run round! Last piece of work over this side of the railway is to replace the 16mm rail on the loop with 21mm.

Also, a job that has been in the back of my mind for a while has been the turntable deck. Well, I’ve finally got round to fitting it, and I’m pretty happy with how it looks. Just needs the white paint tarting up, and maybe some signage for the turntable.. 👀 also as part of these works I’ve used some of the excess ballast from the relay taking place by the other shed, to level and sort out the track work leading onto the pits and into the shed - it’s much better and again less of a rollercoaster because of this 😃

Stay tuned for more updates soon! 😊

The annual birthday gala returned this weekend here at the railway. Although on Saturday with a very special unveiling!S...
29/09/2025

The annual birthday gala returned this weekend here at the railway. Although on Saturday with a very special unveiling!

Saturday we unveiled the new platform on the railway dedicated to a very special part of the railway’s family. With his family here and his newest engine making her first movements in steam, Saturday was a very special day for us all. I hope you will all agree that the new halt is a welcome addition to our line.

With the new loco being a very pretty red simplex, the opportunity was taken to get some miles on the clock and iron out any niggles of which there were not that many at all. She proved to be a very strong and plucky little engine which I think Pete would’ve been very proud of. The loco once settling into running was also used for “driver training” of which I believe everyone enjoyed! Especially passing two trains on the loop at speed as the photo shows 😂

Sunday, the ever trusty pannier was back in service as well as black 5 no. 5472 as well as appearances by the 08,33 and 37! The weather not quite as sunny did however make running more interesting and slippery!

Stay tuned for more as ever but thank you for checking in! 😊

A very wet but enjoyable day running the railway this weekend 🌧️ Sunday, We were visited by two recently finished and go...
21/07/2025

A very wet but enjoyable day running the railway this weekend 🌧️

Sunday, We were visited by two recently finished and gorgeous locos. Firstly an LNER B1 No. 61379 and then an East African Railway inspired simplex 2-6-2T. What a pretty little thing that is! Most of the day unfortunately it was rather slippery but in true British fashion the sun came out at the end of the day and we had the opportunity to stick 6mk1s behind the B1 - which it took up the hill no problem at all. (Mostly) Many thanks to Bruce and Brian for coming over and dodging the downpours with us.

Also making a welcome return to steam after a year out of use was simplex no. 2910 Amy Grace. This engine never fails to amaze me as after all that time she ran beautifully straight ‘out of the box!’ Even having a turn shunting some coaches between showers. Amy grace was also the loco of choice for some driving lessons to which end the simplex design is fantastic!

The usual appearances by our 08 and 37111 also went perfectly well as usual, the 37 also having a spin with the mk1s, at some considerable speed too! 💨 Hopefully later this year, she will be receiving some attention to improve the sound card, and that will be very exciting to see and hear!

On another note, A part built V2 has also arrived here for temporary bed and breakfast. This is a rather upsetting story for me, as the V2 belonged to one of our railway family who sadly left us last year, the loco was receiving works at another location at the time. After the news of the owners passing, the loco ended up on eBay. It’s amazing what a bit of a gut feeling and a few phone calls can achieve as the loco was quickly returned to the rightful home about a week after the eBay listing was deleted. She is now with her new owner and soon, beginning to complete the restoration.

That’s it for running now until later this year (real life work gets in the way) but stay tuned, more to come from the railway as always, some exciting developments and of course more running day’s.

Thank you for checking in on us 😎

Well what a weekend trip out that was! 🤩 This weekend we were very lucky to attend the twilight run at Gilling with the ...
06/07/2025

Well what a weekend trip out that was! 🤩

This weekend we were very lucky to attend the twilight run at Gilling with the black 5 and the 9400.

Must admit I was a bit nervous heading up there as on steam test prior to leaving for Yorkshire both locos decided to throw their own respective hissy fits. However, when both cinderellas arrived at the ball - they ran very very well and pulled some heavy loads, and the night running… well it’s something else isn’t it 😍

Thank you to all who made it possible and for the invites. Cant wait for the next one! 😅

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