Foxfield Railway Steam Gala - 16th 17th July 2016

You're home early, especially fir somebody who said they were going Sunday.

 

A video from the first day of the Foxfield Gala;

 

Excellent. No.35 was in good voice. I don't think I've heard an Austerity work so hard since the days of them tackling the 1 in 14 of "Bold Mountain."

 

Many thanks, I agree about No.35, wonderful sound. It was an enjoyable day and the weather was much better than forecast thankfully

 

Looking forward to my visit on Sunday. Was it as wet as Pesmo reported?

 

The grass is well trodden down up the bank and the long grass off that was wet but we had Wellingtons so it wasn't a problem. Soft mud in parts as you go over the stile up towards Dilhorne but we didn't venture right up to the station where it was apparently very bad.

 

I wish I had gone Sunday now. I got a call from work at 2pm to log on to my computer as something unexpected needed my attention, so I had to leave Foxfield as I didn't have my laptop with me. Its the second time this year it has happened at a Gala. Oh well, there is always the Autumn event.

It was my first time at Foxfield and I was really impressed with everyones enthusiasm and willingness to talk about their railway. There seemed to be a real sense of ownership radiating from the members and it is a really different Gala to any others that I have been to.

 

Lesson No 1, leave your mobile switched off!

 

A couple of photos from the first day of the gala, others at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pamw/

 

Just back from Foxfield after a cracking say. Stills and video to follow.

 

The last train of the gala off Foxfield Colliery this afternoon.

 

Thanks for the replies I've had a great afternoon down at the colliery end of the line. Field access was free so I chose to make a donation along with buying a few drinks throughout the afternoon. Much needed in the sun & heat!! What a difference a day makes. Only real disappointment was only seeing Cranford once down the colliery end, didn't make a second visit as planned?

 

It was a great afternoon at the gala yesterday. Well worth the £15.00 entry, even if you chose not to ride on the trains. My shot of the 12.20 Foxfield - Dilhorne Pk freight.........

 

Gala from Sundays very enjoyable event here... http://preservedrailway.weebly.com/foxfield-railway
Only my second visit, and a very enjoyable day, stayed down the colliery for ever run in the end; looking forward to a return soon.

 

Unfortunately Cranford was suffering from some mechanical issues, despite having been operated over ten days at Scunthorpe with no problems. It seems that giving a loco some work to do on a 1 in 25 soon finds those problems that weren't apparent before and she had overheated bearings which lead to an early retirement on both days.

 

Many thanks to all who came and supported the gala. It seems to have been succesful both from the terms of visitor comments and the number of people attending. It was nice to see plenty of people around and all trains well patronised. The scene at Caverswall Road station as the 'modern' train pulled in and there was a mass exodus of bodies all hoping to be able to find room on the Knotties was akin to rush hour! The Knotty Trust are hopeful that the capacity of the Knotty rake will have been increased next year with the completion of the accessible brake coach which will also allow the Shark to be replaced and give a more uniform rake.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

Is it by chance hanging around for the Autumn Gala?

 

I loved the Knotties and gave them a decent donation towards their future restoration. There is something about Victorian carriages that is just so atmospheric.

 

No she is returning to Appleby Frodingham