Steel Steam and Stars 4 - March 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 2015

This must be for the really rich amongst us or for the locals. Who is going to come for the first weekend then hang around for the second weekend? Large B&B/booze bills. Those that don't stay will probably not want to travel back for the second weekend.

 

That's fine by me although I don't fancy doing 6 days' travelling. I'll probably just bash on the Fridays and phot for the rest.

 

I must say, though, I'm not looking forward to this gala as much as I was to the others. This is nobody's fault and I hope the event is well patronised but I'm a little disappointed there will only be 8 engines and none of them will be 7822 and there aren't any decent double-headers to be had except from maybe 3205 and 5199 and for novelty 4270 and 3802. Again, I'm just grateful they're doing one and that I live so close and I would be ecstatic about it if we hadn't had the other 3. The lack of mid-week running is also a bit of a blow but if it didn't pay its way then it's right that they got rid of it. I'm also a little concerned that the Corwen extension will compromise the timetable.

 

Really to echo what others have said. There's nothing wrong with the lineup, but equally nothing that particularly excites... Have that week booked as holiday, so may well turn up, depending what other events appear nearer the time...

 

Should that read "an additional day" or "any additional days"? Once you've bought a 1-day ticket, how many additional days can you buy?

For example, if I wanted to attend for one of the long weekends (Fri, Sat, Sun), is that 1 x 1-day ticket + 2 x additional days, or 1 x 1-day + 1 x additional day + another 1 x 1-day? It would be so much easier to offer a "long weekend rover" for the price of whatever combination of days and additional days is correct.

Thanks.

 

Can you include a 10+ coach beerex for a couple of trips at the end of each day? Top and tail it for a bit of extra weight too. That would definitely improve the chances of me attending!

The twelve coach beerex's the CVR had at the Cauldon reopening gala were awesome and made the event for me.

 

I think the WOW this time will be the Corwen extension.

Bob.

 

It looks like a rather random collection of engines with nothing in particular standing out or a common relationship between them. I think galas are best with themes, as I said earlier in this thread, and a hotch-potch of hire-ins doesn't really do much for me (or too many others it seems).

 

Yeah, boy! 92212 on the front and somat heavy on the back like CoW or 3802.

 

Could we have 1450 on something other than the auto coach too?

 

Agree with both of the above, particularly the former. Something medium sized with 2 cylinders on a decent load beats a pacific plodding round any day!

 

9017, 6100 and 246 were all at SSS2 which had the best line up. 61306 , 3440, 5526, 44806, 5199 , 6430 and 5643 were the remainder of that line up.

SSS3 was 828, 70000, 60163, 49395, 58926, 1744, 5199, 44806, 6430 and 7822.

Looking at those 2 time ups and the one for SSS4

34092, 3205, 4270, 92212, 1450, 3802, 5199, 45337.

The problem with the line up is that 3 of the visitors are reasonabley well travelled and do not have the WOW factor. The past two Galas have had some visitors that are either recently overhauled and/or have rarely visited other railways.

Possbile locos that would have greater appeal for SSS4 42073 , 7827 ( only been to Didcot, SDR & WSR) , and 13065, but are they available?

 

The other SSS galas have, in the main, been a random collection of locos with no common relationship between them. The first one was 1450, 9466, 5224, 4160, 5643, 6430, 5199, 78019, 7822 'Foxcote Manor', 3802 & 34081 '92 Squadron'. Not many "stars" amongst them (sorry Spamcan81!). The second one was very good, 6100 apart, but I couldn't get excited about the third gala. Too many big locos on a small line for my liking. Personally, I think this year's line up is pretty good. Just a shame I'm going to be in Switzerland the first weekend (chasing a couple of DB 01 pacifics up some big hills), and working the second weekend.

 

Oh Memories....

Here's my videos (well it's pitch black so it's sound only).....on this first video (from Ipstones Crossing, theres a bit of tooing/froing, but once clear, @ 1 minute 30 secs in.. I'm sure the driver rips off the regulator and throws it out of the cab... I challenge anyone to find a better sounding 8F !!!)





The 2nd video.. was actually a bit earlier, and starts at the loop at Leekbrook junction, where the driver whistles to ensure a non-stop through the loop... once on the curve, the driver certainly found the regulator to be working ok.....you can see some sparks on this one from 1m8s...


I wouldn't recommend 4270, it's a bit of a hunter.. for the beerex at Llangollen,.. having ridden it at Mid-Hants I had sea sickness when I got off... it would certainly be one way to empty the pint glasses...

 

I think each time in the past they have had the chance to get certain star locos that have had the WOW factor. I feel City of Wells has that WOW factor for being the first visit away from its home base since overhaul. As Bob says above, Corwen adds something extra also. I'm sure they could have pushed for other choices of loco, but off the top of my head i cant think of anything special that is easily available.

What i think people on here are missing is what the gala is all about. Being an event to raise money to build 6880. At no other time would you be able to see 5 or 6 visiting locos at Llangollen Railway due to the shear cost of moving them. The 6880 mob are prepared to take the risk and hire them all in, with the idea of covering the costs and making enough profit to fund work on their loco. The group have made their choices with locos to attend from what is actually available. They have tried for others but these haven't been available.

 

There's a bit of an S&D theme going on with 34092, 3205, 92212 and 45337, being reresentative of locomotive types synonymous with the route. However, I think apart from 34092, there's nothing to really write home about. The next step could have been to have all visiting locomotives from a single railway company.

 

As a member of a gala committee tasked with sourcing guest engines I can really sympathise with the 6880 lads. Apart from one or two major lineups still to happen (jubilees/Brits /lner pacifics I really feel that we have had the golden years of the gala. Road transport prices are just getting crazy whilst hire fees for gala days are now higher than for 'normal ' days. Many of the big main line locos will only arrive by rail and finally there are still only so many locos out there. With so many gala's (two each year for the big boys) it an unfortunate issue that you will end up with something that had done the rounds. I've spoken to owners of newly restored engines who say it's not going anywhere for a year then it's got to go to a and b because we had x from them. I say enjoy galas why you still can.

 

Haven't had a mega line-up of Bulleids yet... I think the record is four working examples so far. The only thing is that being tender locomotives, they cost rather more to transport. The 'only so many locomotives out there' argument is a good one and crossed my mind earlier. However, it would be nice to see 34053 doing the odd foray as a roving memorial to the man.