North Norfolk Autumn Gala Postponed

I have just had a call from the NNR ticket office to say that the Gala has been postponed due to the weather and what did I want to do about my 3 day ticket?

Seemingly they are trying to rearrange it for later in September when it won't be so dry.

 

So the autumn gala will actually be in autumn rather than late summer then?

 

I don't understand what the weather has to do with anything? They are back running steam and there is rain due between now and then? At this late stage its a bit of a p**s take to change the dates. Lots of people have already booked accommodation and will loose out on money, plus people have booked accommodation for other events on the dates that it will be rebooked for. Add to that other heritage lines won't be happy that there will be another event on a weekend that they already have an event on. There are only so many visitors to these gala events and making these sorts of clashes doesn't help any of them to cover the costs of events

 

With such a significant change you would have thought the website would have been updated at the same time, but the original dates still showing.

 

So you now have Swanage hiring the Duchess, and others, Bluebell hiring no9 and Mayflower, Llangollen hiring the Ivatt 2 and class 33 and Norfolk hiring at least one Britannia all on the same weekend. That's a lot of transport costs.

 

Now on the website. Rearranged for 12-14 October

http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/page.php?pid=5

 

I guess I'm the only one that's happy. I was away for the earlier date

 

Sadly when you've organised annual leave, booked accommodation (at higher Peak season prices), organised transport etc it is all rather frustrating for this to be cancelled with a little over 2 weeks notice. It's not as if the warm weather appeared last week.

And as said, now the event is clashing with Llangollen Cambrian / Bluebell LNER / Swanage Duchess + others events. There's only so many events the market can take on one weekend, and there's only so much potential customers will put up with. Changing the dates so close to the original proposed date is a poor move, and the decision should of been made much earlier.

 

Sorry. That was a bit flippant of me. I would be p***ed off too, in your shoes. If the weather stays dry and they aren't able to run steam, or not with any elan, at that point, they'll have made a good call though

 

The fact the Facebook page shows them running steam with no diesel assistance, and that Steam Railway released this weeks hints at what the second guest could be - makes the claim to be too warm for a steam gala seem rather dubious. However being on the outside you have to take what they say at face value, being involved with the operations of a railway I know its rarely as simple as it looks from the outside.

 

Having visited two weeks ago was shocked at how brown the area was.The golf course adjacent to the line had green greens and brown elsewhere .
Although steam back as of Wednesday all trains until today were planned to be diesel banked from Weybourne to Holt.
More dry weather forecast for the next month in the area.Based on that how many would be brave or stupid enough to commit £10000 plus of costs to bring locos in that then might not be useable ?

 

I always have a whole week in the area for the Gala and it was to be the same this year. I will still go, but will have to find different things to do and will still visit the NNR and will no doubt enjoy what they are able to offer on the day. It is a big disappointment though.

 

With the date moved back there could be more chance of an appearance from Britannia perhaps...

 

Looks like it will be a busy weekend, shame you do have multiple events. luckily the NNR is still a 3 day, meaning I will visit the NNR Friday (to see 70013 before she goes) Bluebell Saturday and the Battlefield sunday ( They also have their gala that weekend, with 5542 and visiting 6412 at the moment)

 

The NNR have announced on their FB that 70013 can no longer make the gala.

 

The NNR does have terrible luck with gala visiting locomotives. It’s hardly ever the NNR’s fault but you always get the angry trolls on FB complaining.

A 3 day weekend with 7 of the homefleet running will still be quite an event.

 

I thought they were in talks for a second visitor. Maybe that will make it?

 

So 7 home fleet locomotives will be running (hopefully).

Will this include 53809, or is the ever reliable Ring Haw stepping up to the plate again?