• Special train to celebrate the famous Pershore Plum • Plum festival throughout August • There was even a steam locomotive called ‘Pershore Plum’
The Pershore Plum Festival in August celebrates the most famous plum varieties grown in the Vale of Evesham: the Pershore Yellow Egg Plum and the Pershore Purple; and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) is playing its part.
The GWSR is running a special train on 18th August to acknowledge the once important role the railway played in transporting the wonderful varieties of plums from the region to market.
The special train departs Broadway station at 14.25 for Cheltenham Racecourse. It will be carrying Queen Victoria (Plum); Festival Mascots: Prunella and Eggbert; members of the Plum Posse and, of course, Pershore Plums. Whilst subject to availability, some of the railway’s catering outlets will be offering of a range of plum-inspired delicacies throughout August.
Catherine Johnson, the GWSR’s Marketing Manager explains: “At one time there was a large fruit packing shed at Toddington station, where Pershore and other varieties of plums, as well as apples, pears, soft fruits, asparagus and vegetables, were transferred into special railway vans to be swiftly taken to London, Birmingham and elsewhere. This is a wonderful way to celebrate that heritage.”
Angela Taylor, Tourism Officer for Wychavon District Council & Chair of the Pershore Plum Festival, added: “Although the award-winning Plum Festival itself takes place over the Bank Holiday weekend (24th -26th August ) there are lots of plum-related activities including entertainment, demonstrations, events for youngsters, competitions and more, throughout the month – as well as this special train, of course.”
She explains that, in 1827, a local publican discovered the Pershore Plum growing wild in Tiddesley Wood. “This yellow variety of plum was then forced and developed by crossing it with other varieties. It was perfected in 1877 and there are two Pershore Plums today: July Purple and the late August Yellow. They have really put the lovely town of Pershore on the fruit growing map.”
So famous was the Pershore Plum it even had a Great Western Railway steam locomotive named after it. No. 3353 was a member of the successful and handsome ‘Bulldog’ class 4-4-0 introduced in 1899 of which 156 were built, 3353 emerging from Swindon works in 1900. They were mainly used for passenger work and were once a familiar sight over the line on which the present-day GWSR operates, as well as handling trains over the Worcester-Oxford line through Pershore.
No. 3353, at the time based at Worcester, was originally named ‘Plymouth’. It was one of several of the class named after towns served by the Great Western Railway. But this confused some travellers who thought the locomotive name was the destination of their train so the names were removed. In 1927 the Worcester branch of the NFU asked the GWR if a locomotive could be named ‘Pershore Plum’ to mark the centenary of the discovery of the fruit and they agreed. The nameplates were made at Swindon and sent to Worcester, where they were fitted to the locomotive. It is of interest that HM King George V accepted a consignment of Pershore plums to mark that centenary.
‘Pershore Plum’ continued to be based at Worcester and worked from there throughout the region, including over the Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham line and reaching destinations as far away as Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, London and Bristol.
Says Catherine Johnson: “It would be nice to think that perhaps the locomotive was sometimes used to deliver Pershore plums to market.”
Sadly Pershore Plum’s time ended in 1947 when it was broken up at Wolverhampton, having covered nearly 1.5 million miles in service. The locomotive’s nameplates were, however, saved: they were sold to a local man, Mr Daniels, for £0/17/6 each (88p in today’s money, equivalent of £69 today).
Added Angela Taylor: “We would love to know where the nameplates are today – it would be wonderful to display one at the Festival and explain the fascinating history of this beautiful locomotive.”
The GWSR has a stand in ‘Plum Alley’ at the Festival, on Saturdays 3rd, 10th and 17th August.
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