Nvr "Fives Winter Steam"

"Fives" Winter Steam
Date: Saturday, 22 February, 2014


Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd February 2014

Join the NVR at our "Fives" Winter Steam event

STAR ATTRACTIONS

BR Standard 5 No 73050 (Running without nameplates and chalked end of steam smokebox)

LMS Black 5 No 45337 running as 44837 on Saturday 22nd and running as 45074 on Sunday 23rd

Due to circumstances beyond the control of the NVR the third expected "5" will no longer attend this event due to unexpected issues with the locomotive

73050 wil be running for the proposed last time before overhaul

Travel on the re-enactment service of the last service on 2nd May 1964 on the line behind the recreated Black 5 No 44837 (Saturday only)

LMS Steam Crane on display





"The Evening Standard" Friday 21st February departing Wansford at 19:00

Travel in style and enjoy a three course meal served at your seat, hauled by 73050, take this oppotunity to dine in style hauled by 73050 before she is removed for overhaul, for further deatils see "The Evening Standard "web page (Tickets still available)



Brake Van Rides

See the cosmetic restoration of 0-6-0 Derick Crouch No 1539

"FIVES" BRAKE VAN RIDES

Brake Van rides will operate from Orton Mere and Fletton on both days at the days at the gala, the Brake vans rides will be hauled by one of the Fives.
A supplement fare of £5.00 per person if purchased when holding a vaild rover ticket, or £10 if not holding a valid rover ticket,will be required to travel on the Brake vans Brake van rides are only availbe to persons over 16 years of age, there is no wheelchair access to the brake van rides. Tickets available from the Orton Mere booking office only

Brake Van rides will depart Orton Mere only at, 10:40, 11:20, 12:35, 13:05, 13:41, 14:15, 15:25

Other Attractions:
Wansford Cafe open for hot meals/drinks

Wansford Gift Shop open all weekend

Tour of the Locomotive shed and see the progress of the restoration of No. 34081 92 Squadron

Second-hand books will be on sale in carriage on Platform 4 on both Gala days

TRADE STANDS

34081 92 Squadron

NVR Stand selling original ex railway uniforms

Renown and Repluse

M&B Models

B17 Project

SHED TOURS

Shed Tours of NVR Locomotive and Carriage and Wagon Sheds will commence from the outside the Station Masters Office on Platform 2

Guided Tours are available of the NVR Locomotive Sheds at Wansford. These will take about one hour and are limited to 12 persons for Health & Safety reasons.

10.00 (LS), 11.00 (C&W),1200 (LS), 1400 (C&W) and 1500 (LS), 1600 (C&W)
(A walking route will be followed although the Loco yard will be out of bounds)

There is no charge but donations are welcome.
(LS Locomotive Shed)(C&W Carriage & Wagon Shed)

Please note the minimum ages for a Brake Van ride is 16 years of age

Please note this is a supplement to the fares for train travel at the gala, to ride on the main services a further ticket must be purchased

Timetable for the weekend

How to find us

Details on how to find us can be found here
Prices


Gift Aid Fares Non Gift Aid Fares
Adults £15.00 £13.50
Senior £12.00 £10.80
Children £8.00 £7.20
Family £38.00 £34.20
Accommodation

Www.nvr.org.uk



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Are there any other loco's running on the day, or just one 5 on the fletton branch and one doing Wansford to Peterborough and back?

 

Both fives will swap round to provide service trains and brake van rides


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Thanks for the info.

 

That's good news.

 

Timetable with roster available on the NVR website too!!

Many thanks!

 

But basically the gala is just one train in service plus a cost extra brake van ride? It just seems a bit strange to call it a gala?

 

That's why it's called "Fives Winter Steam"


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The NVR website still uses the word gala in at least three places on the event page. I have to admit I am surprised the NVR aren't running some form of diesel to compliment the steam to increase the timetable considering it's £13.50 (£15 with gift aid) plus another £5 for a brakevan ride.

A possible price tag of £20 compared to GCR's Friday of their gala which also cost £20 had five locomotives running with a goods. I realise the NVR have been let down by the non appearance of a locomotive but was it considered to have a diesel out instead?

 

Just a quick bump for this event.

45337 has been renumbered now (Pic from facebook)



More details can be found at https://www.facebook.com/NeneValleyRailwayOfficial and http://www.nvr.org.uk/events/fives-winter-steam

 

Hardly worth the petrol to go to this basically for a one/two engined Gala (as printed by NVR).
For photographers maybe but otherwise way over priced for so little and you can't count one no show for that!

 

Is the Austerity back now? I can't see any reason why she couldn't be rostered (providing she is back in action) if she is there or as I said previously, a diesel or two to boost up the services offering maybe a freight in the mix.

I have also noticed there appears to be no 'busy' timetable on the calendar at all? Just either 3 or 4 train days which seems again very poor. They appear to have more timetables than most railways (I count 6 colours on the operating dates/calendar page and that doesn't include the purple special events or red Santa one) yet seem to run the most infrequent service with 3 of the 4 timetables finishing before 4pm! I realise the railway isn't at a tourist location but it's things like this event and poor timetables that could possibly and quite likely do keep visitors away. I've not been since 2000 and would like to go back, but for the travel time and minimal timetable it really isn't worth it sadly.

 

Unfortunately in the last year we've lost 1800 (Thomas) and the 4F for overhaul. 22 (the austerity) is still at Loughborough having work done on her I believe. On the other hand, with locos coming back into traffic, 92 Squadron is not due back until later this year, if not early next year, so the 'home fleet' is not at its strongest. In terms of visitors, this isn't for lack of trying, though from what I gather, numerous discussions have unfortunately come to nothing. At £15 (The same as a running day) it's not too bad value for money I would say!

I can't comment about comment about the diesels being out at the event. However in relation to the timetables, we have 3 main timetables and an additional timetable for the railcar. (See http://www.nvr.org.uk/calendar?idx=1) The yellow timetable starts at 11.00 so school groups can get this train. The blue timetable is similar, however starting an hour earlier to enable customers from the caravan park at Ferry Meadows to get into Peterborough at a suitable time for the shops and other attractions. Likewise the green timetable increases this to four round trips. The orange railcar timetable incorporates shorter stopping times at terminating stations due to the lack of run arounds

The old orange timetable, which was the two train service and consisted of 6 round trips has been dropped this year. In part, this is due to the fact that the additional passengers who came on these days was minimal and the costs of another loco and wear on the stock for these days was questionable about whether or not this was covered and whether or not the visitor numbers would vary between 4 services with one train and 6 with two trains. It would be nice to get the railcar out as a supplementary service on some of the higher days, however due to the nature of the line, the long section between Wansford and Orton Mere means there would be a long wait between trains. This is however the first year that the two train service has been dropped, so I'm sure it will be something that will be monitored by the management on high days this year.

N.B These are my own understandings and views of the situation, rather than an official management view of this.

 

Agreed there Chris, it is the nature of the layout of the railway with the passing loop right at the town end of the line rather than in the middle. Do you know if there are and plans for a passing loop at Ferry Meadows? It would make a huge improvement to services that can run. Appreciated that it won't be used much on normal running days, but the special events lack the intensity of most others.

 

Largely speaking, it's all linked into the progress of the Night Mail Museum (Housing the TPO and Wagons-Lits, as well as other historic international vehicles) which is being built at Ferry Meadows. Last year we laid what will eventually become the second platform/through road using concrete sleepers and decent quality rail so it can be linked up at the west end of the running line when required to form a loop and it will be of a high quality. We're also in very informal talks with Network Rail about acquiring a signal box for the site and the potential of getting one from a local line that is being converted to colour signalling (Though we have not got to the stage of identifying which box, costs, budgets etc), though fundamentally now NWR are aware we have an interest. We also have a Great Northern footbridge that was salvaged from the ECML in the yard at Ferry Meadows ready to be installed when a second platform was built.

Eventually there is an aspiration to double track between Ferry Meadows and Orton Mere. This would effectively create a mile long passing loop and enable much greater flexibility on the line. This however is a fair way into the future and would most likely require Orton Mere signal box to be relocated, though fundamentally the trackbed is in place, so there is nothing out of our control stopping this as and when funds, manpower, resources and necessity allow.

In terms of the immediate progress at Ferry, this year we are hoping to get the foundations laid, and a substantial push towards building a four coach running shed which will get vehicles under cover and enable us to work on them, as well as getting the site open to the general public.

You can see more details of the overall plans for how the site will eventually look (and the current progress) on the website set up specifically for the Museum at http://www.nightmail.org.uk/news/progress

 

Thanks Chris.
I had seen some work going on at Ferry Meadows and track laid into apparent sidings but not made into a loop. Thought this was a waste but seems you're on it!!
I think this will be the biggest single improvement that can be made. A bridge as well? Fantastic.

 

I realise the NVR is not awash with volunteers or funds but the sooner Ferry Meadows can become a passing point the better IMO. As others have said, this will improve operating flexibility no end. The other plans look exciting too.

 

Hardly think £15 ticket same as normal running is reasonable for service etc offered.
Have a look at many Heritage lines with so much more, regular trains and for same or less.
You won't bring in many visitors with what you offer at that cost I'm afraid think last time I came was when James Bond was being filmed, as my Sister lives local although she and her family have never been due to cost!

As said get a passing loop in to make more trains viable as a priority.

 

All takes time, money and manpower so I'm sure the NVR would welcome your help in any of those areas. According to our lads at Wansford, we're doing quite well today and trains are "fairly full" so some people feel that £15 is reasonable. POssible to do six round trips behind two different locos with, if I've interpreted the timetable correctly, the chance of a double header. Makes £15 for this better value than £15 for a three trip service.

 

Chicken and egg situation. Do you run more trains to attract more visitors or wait for more visitors before you run more trains? Seems rather odd that apart from a few special events it will be just one loco in steam even in the peak season.