SVR Autumn Gala 17-20th September

The low loader with 7812's front half held up people yesterday as the hydraulics on the low loader failed in the middle of Bridgnorth...

 

Red and cream would be best for the Scot. That's the set that goes with an early BR crest.

 

Flippin' 'eck. They haven't even come off the low loader and they've already failed!

 

Reminds me of a diesel gala on the Valley years ago when after a number of loco failures and steam substitutions the Class 25 (remember that) was running around with an 0K25 headcode!

 

What would be the best is blood and custard LMS coaches as would be typical from nationalisation till the mid 50s when the mark 1's really started to make an appearance. I can't see that happen though...

 

I've used this quote before but I think it applies here 'you sir are a poet, a dreamer of beautiful dreams'

 

An better solution would be to repaint the scot to crimson again.

 

Or late crest green and have it with the maroons...look there's even a grubby blood 'n' custard in there to illustrates the transition between liveries....

 

Isn't Jeremys new set of stock going to be Blood and Custard?

 

Dont start that again! What did you think of it last weekend?

 

I don't think his thought process has got beyond planning to take franchises back into public ownership as they expire. I don't think he has thought about liveries.


Oh, sorry wrong Jeremy.

 

Loved every minute of it, especially the all nighter! Definitely doing it again next year - hopefully with a more exciting timetable too!

 

My video from the gala:



Photos will be on Flickr a bit later...

James

 

Theres defo somthing about steam trains in the dark! I'm not commenting on the timetable! You made the point about how much you loved the all night running, why has no other railway done the same?

 

Someone, from another railway, commented that they were possibly planning all night. Thing is that if lots of people do it, it isn't special anymore

 

I think it's partly due to the fact you're never far away from a B&B on the SVR so when you're done you can just crash without having to go anywhere too far? You certainly couldn't do it on the GWSR, and probably not the WSR to name a couple. Maybe NYMR or GCR perhaps?

 

I think three possible reasons:

1) Neighbourliness: obviously easier to do for railways that run well away from major habitation (though admittedly that doesn't necessarily apply to the SVR).

2) Rostering: It's a big strain on available crews (loco, guards, signalmen etc) at a time (during gala) when resources are already stretched.

3) Making money. The SVR have presumably worked out a way to make it pay, and anecdotally at least, it seems the all-night running is an attraction in itself, which presumably leads to higher overall attendances. But that advantage would be diluted if lots of other railways did it: in that sense, the SVR have a kind of "first mover advantage".

That said, I'd agree with you that there is something wonderful about being on a steam-hauled train at night. Whether there is a big advantage running right through to the next morning, or whether running until, say, 10 - 12pm ish is sufficient I don't know.

Tom

 

I have been told that the origins of the "All Night Running" were to give a gimmick to promote one year when there weren't many guests or freshly overhauled locos. The fact that people loved it was a huge bonus! They did drop it one year and saw the takings suffer.

I thought it daft when announced - and then a few years later sampled it - and was hooked. For many years, with the odd gap, a mob of us from the NYMR have gone down fro the SVR Gala (it is a few years since I was one of them). Various tales could be told Muted: ) but we resolved that we wanted to give All Night Running a go - if anything (and I think the SVR has the same problem), the issue would have been having enough people to do the day shifts because everyone wanted to do the night! The powers that be have never been keen on the NYMR and the evening running we have achieved (usually using the fact the 'boxes are open for a Pullman) have never done as well as the SVR ones. I certainly dare not suggest it at the moment!

I think the East Lancs has done/does it, probably at a diesel event.

Steven