GCR Winter Gala - 24-26 Jan 2020

No guest loco has been listed for this event on the GCR website as yet, but, having finally had a chance to look at my copy of the Dec 2019 Railway Magazine, I noticed a report that K1 62005 is making a visit to the GCR and is expected to arrive in early January.
Presumably that will be the Guest Loco for the Gala??

 

Now confirmed as the visitor on the GCR website..........
http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/special-events/winter-steam-gala/

 

4953 'Pitchford Hall' now on the website as visiting for this also.

 

And I been told a third hall as well, 6989.

 

Ile try make this one then 4 friday or sunday cos saturday im on the R.T.C. C.M.E. from man vic, It will save me going to epping ongar later in the year I thought 4953 was perminantly going to be kept there, so is pitchford going to be staying a bit after the G.C. gala there or off straight back to E. and O. railway?

 

Just noticed on the RVP website that the TPO will not be in operation at the Gala due to a temporary speed restriction just north of Quorn somewhere...

 

Makes sense if it's too close for them to accelerate to the correct speed before the drop. Whilst it's a shame the 'party piece' won't be coming out to play I'm sure it will be a cracking gala nonetheless. I've certainly seen some lovely images of the K1 on the various photo charters this week.

 

The speed restriction is in place over the bridge just before Quorn limits I believe. 10mph from all the charter videos of the K1 I seen.

It does say on the website that the timetables are expected to be released online to download at some point today

 

Gala timetables now posted

Friday: http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/GCR-Friday-24th-January-2020-v1.pdf

Saturday and Sunday: http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/wp-conte...rday-25th-and-Sunday-26th-January-2020-v1.pdf

46521 is still pending completion of maintenance.

 

Does anybody know which way the locos are facing please? Many thanks

 

78018 and 48305 face North (smoke box facing away from Leicester)

62005, 4953, 6990, 47406, 92214, 73156, 45305 all face South (smoke box facing towards Leicester )

46521 also faces North....but I have little doubt that it will be in service.

 

Wonderful many thanks

 

Well according the the GCR Shedworks Facebook page, it is indeed due to run. Someone posted the question today and they replied:
"yes it's due to run"

So there could be 10 locos in service over the weekend.

 

Funny enough that person was me asking on the page . I just thought I enquire as 46521 has had a re-tube since

 

Seen elsewhere that it is alleged that the NER Autocar will be working the "Railcar" trips on Sat/Sun - Can anyone confirm if this is the case??

 

I can confirm following a look at the GCR shed works FB page that 3170 (The NER RailCar is rostered)

As well as 46521 which also passed it's steam test today.

 

My pics of fridays G.C.R. winter gala despite a points failure in the afternoon at loughborough down platfrom south end having to be operated on the groundframe there was a problem with the rods running from loughborough signal box knocking trains on the timetable back a hour

 

All the points south of Loughborough are motor worked and there is no ground frame so that doesn’t really make any sense...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

My photos from Friday. Footage to follow, Photos took on my mobile phone.

 

The motor-operated point forming the down end of the crossover between the mainlines at Loughborough was having to be hand wound, and the points clipped and scotched. Couldn't be a worse place for a failure, and it killed the afternoon timetable. Trains were about an hour down, with some verey long periods of inactivity. Still, the K1 looks nice...