future gala wish lists

What would be your all time best gala line up for your favourate preserved line, either as a everything goes, ,or with a regional bias
heres my starter for ten,

Kesr, a terrier/ p week end ,with 4 terriers and 2 P classes with double heading / rear end assistance on tenterden bank and a mixed freight working in between the passinger turns and passinger working right up to the juncntion road site using the dmu

MHR SR 1950's gala using the home based fleet including black 5, 30925 31806 30850 34007 but i would bring in, 30120, 30777 and 30926

 

I was going to suggest something similar either at the Mid Hants or Bluebell but mine would be a Maunsell Gala. N15 30777, S15 847 (or another S15), Lord Nelson 850, U class 31806 (or any other U class), N class 31874, Q class 541 and Schools Class 925 (or another Schools)

 

I'd like a 1968 Gala (we never really got it in 2008)...something along the lines of a few 1968 Black 5's, 8F, 70013, standard 4, 5 and 9F and the WD.Of course Maroon / Blue Grey Marks 1s.. and a couple of Green / Blue diesels.A preserved railway with a mainline connection and a few trips coming in off Network Rail, loco changes and the odd freight pottering about.

 

That would be my dream gala Martin. But, of course, not forgetting 30506 & 30075 from the home fleet and bring in 30055 to run 2 coach shuttles.

 

Is that the churnet in a few years

 

4 wheel monsters:
Robert Heath No.6, Dora, Castle Donington, Hawarden, Peckett No.11, LH&JC No.14 and a few very heavy rakes!

 

I would go one further and have it as a 3 day event with the final day being deisel hauled only, with several locos dirtied up running le with suitable chalked messages as if they were the final movements to storage then scrap, and would even go to the point of running out of ticket engines deisel hauled ,rods down during the day can anyone remember seing 76017 being dragged around by a 33 with "condemed" on the tender tank, that did bring out a lump to my throat

 

I'd love to see the 0-4-0 fest - Foxfield would be an ideal venue.

And how about an all-Sentinel gala?

 

Mine would have to be a proper Southern Gala, possibly to tie-in with London & Southampton Railway 175 in 2013, with all the trimmings (U, S15 etc.).

Another possible gala would be entitled 'The Bulleid Blow-Out', and features as many of the steamable class members as possible (say five or six- just think of the transport costs...). I believe that the choice of locos would potentially be rather staggering by then. We'd be looking at: 34007 (a couple of years left on the boiler ticket), 34028 (might just make it if an extension is granted), 34039 (should be complete by then), 34046, 34053 (will have run for three years by then if all goes to plan), 34059, 34067, 34070, 34072 (if the projections for a rapid overhaul ring true), 34081 (possibly), 34092 (she SHOULD be complete by then, surely?) and 34101 (if there are no hiccups, but the boiler is a bit tired, so we'll have to see). So 2013 COULD be a vintage year for the light pacifics, with 12 potentially in steam. As for MNs, I doubt there would be any available apart from 35006, particularly as 35028 is generally reserved for mainline duties. Maybe a railtour tie-in with the gala?

 

A shame that 33001 is out of ticket. Now that would be a gala to attend.

Ps
Just to put the icing on the cake what about a rake of Bulleid coaches and lashings of BEER in the Buffet coach.

 

I would go for an SR express passenger loco weekend. Starting with 30120, then 30777, 850 and whatever Schools is available and as many Bulleids as I could lay my hands on.

A second dream gala would be a freight loco only gala. Both S&D 7Fs, Q6, Super D, Dub-Dee, and throw in a couple of 8 and 9Fs.

 

If doing a 1968 gala, one pre-requisite would need to be the surprise element... only publish part of the working timetable, and turn the locomotives ad-hoc.. so let the grapevine pass the word of whats what.. afterall that's what 1968 was about wasnt it.. not knowing whats on what.

 

Yep. Mustn't forget the rolling stock to match! I wonder if the NRM are intending to keep 33001 on display after their reshuffle, or will it go into store? I hope it gets another outing soon, as I was just getting into steam in a big way as she came out of ticket. If it lasted for another two years, I'd have gone to the Bluebell to savour it... Never mind. If 30120 has been returned to steam (and how many of us thought that that would happen?), then hope springs eternal!

As for the BEER, I propose someone brews Bulleid Bitter, Port Line Porter, Spam Can Stout or British India Line IPA. All that would be missing here is a Bulleid 'Tavern Car'!

 

To be fair, the GC weren't far off that the other year! Minus the 7Fs and Super D, mind.

 

Conceivably ca. 2015/2016 the Bluebell could hold a gala with 6 locos from the same pre-grouping company: in fact 6 of the 8 locos from that company preserved, and all in pre-group liveries. And they could throw in suitable carriages as well.

The locos? SECR
C class 592 - ticket expires 2017
O1 class 65 - work should start to repair in 2012 / 2013 so should be running in 2016
H class 263 - should be finished in 2011 so ticket expires ca. 2021
P class 178 - ticket expires 2020
P class 323 - should be finished 2011 so ticket expires 2021
P class 27 - there is talk about trying to get it running for 2015 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its going to France with the ROD.

Plus at least:
LCDR Brake 3rd 114 (currently in operation)
Wheelchair-accessible LCDR Brake 3rd 3360 (should be in service early next year)
SECR 100 seater 971 (requires intermediate overhaul)
SECR 100 seater 1098 (currently in service)
SECR "Birdcage" brake 3rd 3363 (should be in operation imminently)

Hopefully the NRM would lend the D on static display (and maybe the 4th P class from the KESR...)

That would be worth seeing!

Tom

 

And don't forget another Pre-Grouping loco, albeit new build and LBSC, with a little luck 32424 Beachy Head maybe ready.

 

Beachy Head would be LBSCR though. But that could be a Gala. Beachy Head, Birch Grove, Stepney, Fenchurch and maybe some other terriers and Gladstone on Static Display again.

 

Oops yes may mistake. 32424 along with the E4, Gladstone and as many Terriers as possible would make an awesome LBSCR gala.

 

and night time running, positioning runs etc for instance on a deisel working just happen to put a very dirty almost un recognisable black 5 on as pilot or substite it for the deisel just to keep people on their toes