WSR S&D Spring Steam Gala, 5-6 and 10-13 March 2016

Hi Ian, Yes you are right, I stand corrected, it has been used in the yard at Washford. However this time it is planned that it’s going to be on the main line, used at speed on service trains and viewable from the platform. It seems 53808 can have the catcher fitted either side but I believe its planned to run all engines chimney first so it should make some very good photos. I just had the same info from a source very close to Minehead who has also just told me the same and that the gear is being ‘dusted down’ as we speak (it appears the WSR reads Nat Pres as well).

Interestingly the same person also told me some BREAKING NEWS. There is another engine shortly to be announced (usual caveats of 'possible' and 'subject too' etc.) for the gala, speculation has started as to what it is and as soon as I can let you all know I will (unless somebody else gets there first), would anybody like to start a sweep stake !!

 

I think this is the first gala thread I've seen that has actively encouraged loco suggestions and speculation! I guess a 9f...

 

Well done, that man. Give him a coconut.

Confirmed just an hour or so ago - BR 9F 2-10-0 no 92214 will attend the WSR's S&D themed Spring Steam Gala (subject to usual caveats)


(pics from wsr.org.uk taken on the WSR during 2004)

Steve

 

I heard that 34092 city of wells had been requested is this true

 

It made sense for the 7Fs to have the slots for the tablet catcher to be fitted on either side of the tender as they spent alot of their time running tender first. With no turning facilities in the Radstock area the North Somerset coal traffic involved tender first running in one direction or the other. Interestingly the tender attached to the preserved Midland Compound, No. 1000, also has these slots, as it came from 53806 I believe.

Peter James

 

Wonderful a 9F now all being well, never fails to disappoint me this railway, come on 73082!! Hotels and tickets booked, looking forward to the weekend as usual.

 

Just need 76079 or 75029 from the NYMR and we're cooking on gas!

 

I'm really surprised that there will be 6 locos (so far) hired in for this event - unprecedented in more recent times! I just hope that the costs will be covered by ticket sales.

 

If I remember rightly, there were 7 guest locos for the last S&D gala in 2006; 53809, 92203, 34067, 73129, 44422, 45407, 76079, and then 88 and 80136 were the residents. I think one more Standard in the form of a 4MT or 5MT and it'll be the icing on the cake, or both and it'll be the cherry on top of the icing too!

 

In the 30's the Minehead lone was fitted with Whittaker Apparatus (or similar) to speed up services

 

That’s the total engine line up now so thanks for those who earlier in this tread ‘voted’ for a 9F, it’s fair to say that the powers that be took notice of your requests.

9F 92214, Bulleid’s 34053 & 34070, 7F’s 53808, 53809, 4F 44422, Black 5 45379, Standard 4 80072 and Kilmerston with S&D Coach No.4. 9 S&D appropriate engines all apart from Kilmerson working hard over 22.5 miles (just a couple miles short of the distance from Evercreech to Bath) and up some great long gradients. Double heading, decent length trains, engines facing the right way and freight, surely this is not something that’s going to happen very often at all.

Couple that with footplate, Goods Van and lineside photo passes being available to the public and the choice of a decent number of days and it will be a great event. To me the chance to be on the footplate of a big engine, working as they did over the whole line is not to be missed, if you have never been on the footplate of an engine working hard, do it at least once in your life, but then I’m biased as a Fireman (Passed Cleaner) on the line who gets to do it often !!

As per a previous post this is costing a sum of money to pull together so please come and contribute and let as many people as you can know to help make it a success.

 

Tad harsh?

 

Given that @Britfoamer follows this with 'Hotels and tickets booked, looking forward to the weekend as usual.' I suspect that 'predictive text has attacked again on the word 'disappoint'.......

Robin

 

A green 9F on the Somerset and Dorset? Would it be possible to change of identity of the loco to 92220 Evening Star?

I remember seeing Evening Star on the 8th September, 1962 at Chilcompton tunnel. It was hauling the final Pines Express routed via the 'Swift and Delightful'. A sad day. <BJ>

 

A word on the engine line up.
Firstly early roster indications suggest that GWR engines not actively involved may well be stabled at Williton.
Secondly looking at the guest loco list can I say this. The more enthusiasts who come and spend money on or around the railway the more chance you have of improving the loco line up. You'd be amazed at the numbers of photters who turn up and never ride on a train, they even bring their own sandwiches.

 

Does that imply some of the GWR locos will be operational Mike?

 

Where do you enquire about the lineside photo passes ? Are they available just for the gala ?

 

Easy to find on the WSR website http://westsomersetrailway.vticket.co.uk/ just scroll down a little.

 

Just to add to Ian's reply, there's a pile of stuff on the photographing the WSR page on wsr.org.uk - that page has a link to the official website's Lineside Photography page which has full details of how to obtain a Lineside Photography Pass including details of the required Personal Track Safety course and examination. If you can't find the info you need on those pages, give the Railwya a call on 01643 704996.

Steve

 

Mind you, 92214's most well-recorded run on the S&D was when Ivo Peters chased her working the 3.40 "Up Mail" on 20th June 1964, getting a number of good pictures of the train. If you look at them, you will find that, although not green, she wasn't exactly black either on this occasion. More like grime and muck coloured!