WSR 2020 Spring Steam Gala - Thurs-Sun 23-26 April 2020

Just to confirm to all that the evening mega train is likely to be happening Friday night, not Saturday as listed on the website. I've asked for this to be corrected.

Many thanks,
Seb

 

Happy to confirm subject to approval from the owning group that the 9F hauled 12 coach mega train will operate on Friday 24th April, departing BL at 19:00.

Hope to see lots of you there!

Hopefully the timetable will be ready for release soonish!

 

Timetables are up -

https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/userfiles/userfiles/file/Thursday.pdf
https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/userfiles/userfiles/file/Friday.pdf
https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/userfiles/userfiles/file/Saturday.pdf
https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/userfiles/userfiles/file/Sunday.pdf

I probably won't be able to make the Saturday, but seems strange there's a gap of trains to BL from MD between 1705 and 1940, yet Friday there's a 1805, but good to see evening running.
Shame QB breakfast is only running Thursday. Might have to book a day off work.

 

I see they are all dated Friday 24th at the top of each timetable!

 

Seems there was an error in my original post, now corrected. They do have the proper dates on them.

 

Pleased to announce my timetable for the Spring Steam Gala from Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th have been confirmed. Attached is a link to the passenger timetables. For loco allocations and Goods trains you'll have to purchase a program nearer to the time

https://www.west-somerset-railway.c...s/file/WTT_SSG_2020_Working_Timetables(1).PDF

 

The 1805 from MD on Friday acts as a way of getting Set C from being Minehead based to Lydeard based, if this had ran on Saturday I would have ended up with all the sets at BL, which wouldn't have worked very well for Sunday morning! I've put in the 1810 MD-WN-MD as a way of keeping something moving in that path. Thanks for the comment though, glad you like the evening running

 

What is Set E likely to be?

 

I think three blood & custard mk1 coaches were penciled in, but that was only provisional and might well have changed.

 

Correct that's the plan but to be confirmed.

 

Could GWR BCK 6705 make an appearance at this event?

 

As far as I am aware it is unlikely. I will aim to update you if that situation changes.

 

There's some info about 6705 in the latest set of WSSRT board minutes, published on the Trust's website. There's a link to the minutes in the news section of wsr.org.uk.

 

Don Bishop / Steam Recreations on facebook have announced a charter using Standard 2 number 78018 the week after the gala (along with two others featuring 92134 & 76084).

So that's the third gala guest.

Must say this seems to be going the way of the 2010 spring gala. No doubt a 4mt tank will come along, the WSR love them.

 

Even with all that’s going on at the WSR there’s no reason not to go along and enjoy the gala. There’s obviously a lot of work going on to make this gala successful.

 

This gala should go a long way to sort the finances.

 

If everything works out, then in theory, yes. But there are so many factors that can affect it, weather, loco failures, accidents on the motorways, etc., and they could end up wasting £30,000+ on low loaders. Hopefully it'll all work out OK though.

 

The mega train details have been put up on the website/facebook now -

"TRAVEL ONLY
West Somerset Railway Volunteer Travel Only Ticket £5.00
Valid Gala Ticket Holder Travel Only £10.00
Non Volunteer/Non Valid Gala Ticket Holder Travel Only £28.00"

Day rover tickets are not valid on the service.

I think this could be a bit of an own goal really.

£10 I think is fine if you are riding on Thursday, Saturday or Sunday, but Friday that's a steep extra imo. £5 would have been better, if any, surcharge if in possession of a Friday rover.
£28 if you have no gala ticket, so say somebody who fancies an evening out after work, that's going to be an offputting price for most. A special deal of £10/£15, maybe £20 at a push, but £28 is too much. It's not like you can ride all day or get off and carry on later. The train doesn't even go to NF either.

What happens if you want to go on it but are staying in MD/BA etc? They've just assumed everybody is driving to BL who wants a bit of this.

£35 for a day rover is expensive. Yes it's a gala and more locos out etc but also more passengers are coming! So an extra £10 to ride the evening 'mega' (so what, QB + normal 8 coach summer rake) behind a loco that can do it easily bites the hand that feeds really. Charging volunteers too seems a bit naughty.

Wasn't the 7802+7828 evening double header 40th anniversary 'mega' train £10 for everybody last year?

I wish the WSR all the best but I can't see this being that successful at those prices sorry.

 

Cheap at the price, consider how far this has travelled down to appear and the rarity of its restoration, a massive presence.

 

Probably cheaper to ride behind Flying Scotsman