Aboard the "Pershore Plum": Gloucestershire Celebrates its Famous Fruit

Gloucestershire is set to celebrate its iconic Pershore Plum with a special steam train journey along the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR). This unique event, held as part of the Pershore Plum Festival, will commemorate the region's rich horticultural history and the famous locomotive named after the fruit itself.

The GWSR will operate a special train departing Broadway station at 14:25 BST on Saturday, 26 August, bound for Cheltenham Racecourse. This journey will retrace the route once used to transport fresh produce from the Vale of Evesham, a region famed for its fruit and vegetables, to markets across the country.

Passengers on board will be treated to a unique experience, travelling alongside the Queen Victoria and Pershore Plum varieties of the fruit, as well as festival mascots Prunella and Eggbert. The "Plum Posse," a group of enthusiastic individuals dedicated to celebrating the Pershore Plum, will also be on board to share their passion.

To enhance the atmosphere, the railway's catering services will offer plum-inspired delicacies, giving a nod to the region's agricultural heritage.

"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," explained Catherine Johnson, the GWSR’s marketing manager. "This is a wonderful way to celebrate that heritage.”

The Pershore Plum has a fascinating history. Discovered growing wild in Tiddesley Wood in 1827 by a local publican, the yellow variety of plum was then painstakingly developed by crossing it with other varieties, explained Angela Taylor, tourism officer for Wychavon District Council and Chair of the Pershore Plum Festival. "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."

The fruit's popularity even extended to the railway world. The Pershore Plum achieved a unique distinction when Great Western Railway (GWR) named a steam locomotive after it in 1927. This was a tribute to the fruit's centenary and a testament to its importance to the region's economy.

Originally named "Plymouth," the locomotive, a member of the successful "Bulldog" class 4-4-0, was rechristened "Pershore Plum" at the request of the Worcester branch of the National Farmers' Union (NFU). This name change aimed to further promote the fruit and its local significance.

Based at Worcester, the locomotive worked tirelessly throughout the region, hauling goods and passengers alike on lines as far afield as Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, London and Bristol.

The "Pershore Plum" locomotive served diligently for nearly 20 years, clocking an impressive 1.5 million miles before being broken up in 1947. However, its legacy continues to inspire, with the special train journey a tribute to the fruit, its history, and the important role the railways played in the region's prosperity.