Isle of Wight Steam Railway Diesel gala 2017

The event is being held Sept 29th 30th & October 1st. With great assistance from Wight link regarding the transport and the help from the loco owner Stewart Robinson ,we have secured 33 202 for our event. There are one or two minor details to sort out but Newington wanted to get it out there!
33 202 will be only the fourth BR diesel loco to come to the Island and is by far the biggest. The loco is to long for the headshunt at Wootton so will be confined to the Smallbrook Jct to Havenstreet section. The Wootton section will be worked by
D2059 and the 4 wheel coaches. There will be a display of recently re-discovered photographs of the diesels on the Island during BR and NSE days. There will be a real ale bar and food will be available. The timetable is in for proof reading but starts earlier and finishes later. The visit of 33 202 will be brief, possible just the 3 days. I will try to update this post as information is released.

 

It will be quite strange to hear a 33 chuntering away at Havenstreet, quite looking forward to seeing and hearing it!

 

Nice one! Hope this one works out for all concerned, this could work out to be an interesting little conundrum for the picture puzzle in a few years time! Also nice to see years after it's demise the BRCW is still exporting it's products over seas, well the Solent anyway!

 

Well that's a brilliant present for my birthday September 30th, can't wait to visit for diesel gala now.

 

So its the first 33 on the IOW then?

 

I think the first Diesel with more than 6 wheels!

Steve B

 

What livery is 33202 in please.

 

Keep an eye on this thread, as soon as any news,timetables become available I will try and post them here. We are hoping for a good turnout.

 

BR blue I think.

 

I think it is in BR blue and is named Dennis G Robinson after the owners father who was heavily involved with the introduction of the class 33s to the Southern region. The loco is undergoing a partial re-wire as I type this and is then off to the Epping and Ongar railway for their gala event. From there it is scheduled to come straight to the Island. Just hope it fits under long arch bridge!

 

Think you'll get it. Class 50 would be epic one year.

 

Anthony I like the idea of a 50, however the loading gauge is to big and axle weight to heavy. We went for the 33/2 because of the narrow body. 33 is about the biggest we can go. Class 14 is 13 feet 1 inch high our maximum height is 13 feet 1 inch. If I can get the power to be to accurately measure the height of the line around long arch and it is 13 feet 2 inches next year maybe easy. Who knows!

 

Wow, now that's going to turn a few heads!

 

Indeed, couldn't have chosen a better weekend to holiday on the IOW.

 

Do we need to wait for official announcement before speaking news on social media.

 

IOW loading gauge restricts what will fit, being as restricted as the old Hastings gauge, a 73 should in theory fit, in fact the 73 was born out of a requirement for a 3rd rail powered electric loco with luggage space , the original concept was to electrify the IOW lines and provide a small group of these electric locos to replace the 02's, but the design morphed into the 73-0 locomotives, once the intension was to use x underground stock.
So the only "mainline" engines that i would think will fit the islands loading gauge will be either a 33/2 , or a 73/0, or 73/1 assuming the 73s are the same roof hight anything else may be either to wide, or to high.

 

I think that this forum does to a degree count as social media.

 

I can see no reason why social media cannot be informed now. If the visit should not happen for any reason then social media would be a good forum to advise of the non appearance. From my personal point of view the wider we can spread the word the better,as you can imagine bringing the 33/2 to the Island is not going to be cheap and if we want to bring guest locos over in future we have to recoup that outlay at least. My theory is the more that know ,the more who may come and visit hopefully buying a ticket as well!
Hoped there may be some interest from photographic charter groups to help off set costs, but nothing yet. announced to late to get it in the diary maybe.

 

The time to worry is when you hire in a 230 for a gala, actually, would a 230 attract or send people screaming for the beeches would a 230 fit your loading gauge?
if these do end up being the eventual replacement for the tube stock i can see the advantages of running a unit on your line to trial it in service simular to what it may face if used next door.